Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government has said it has paid over N3 million as court fees for each of the 60 Nigerian prisoners in Tanzania it has successfully secured their release in readiness for repatriation.
It said the process of securing their release had been led by Nigerian Mission in that country which had been working on repatriation of Nigerian prisoners.
According to the statement by Head, Media and Public Relations Unit the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM ), Abdur-Rahman Balogun, for each of the 73 Nigerians in the prison, the mission had paid 330.000 shillings (N55,544.27) as court fees for each of the them, and was always represented in court. The mission had also successfully negotiated repatriation for 60 prisoners.
The commission was reacting to reports of lamentation of Nigerians in Tanzanian prisons.
The statement reads: “Sequel to reports circulating in the media on the foregoing matter, it is expedient to clarify the issues at stake for the generality of the public as follows:
“Ever before Covid-19 pandemic, the Nigerian Mission had been working on repatriation of Nigerian prisoners in Tanzania. The Ambassador, Dr Sahobi Isa Gada, was actually in Nigeria in January 2020, specifically for this purpose, after having successfully secured a release of 60, out of 73 Nigerians, in various prisons in Tanzania. Arrangements were then being made by the ambassador for their repatriation.
“Most of them were arrested for alleged drug-related offences, while a few of the offences bothered on immigration.
“Despite securing repatriation for 60 out of the 73, the mission sent a team out to ascertain if there were more Nigerians in Tanzanian prisons.
“While the mission has joined other countries in making a plea for amnesty for Prisoners during this COVID-19 period, the mission remains optimistic the Tanzanian Government would respond positively, while the mission will continue to work on repatriation, which was affected as a result of Covid-19.
“For each of the 73 Nigerians in the Prison, the mission had paid 330.000 shillings as court fees for each of them, and was always represented in court. The mission had also successfully negotiated repatriation for 60 prisoners.
“It was true that a British citizen working with an NGO did visit the office of the SSA Diaspora to the President then, with a complaint and verdict about the very slow nature of the Tanzanian judicial system which sees trials dragging on for too long. The Nigerian mission, after tireless diplomatic interventions, succeeded in getting retrieve for 60, out of 73 inmates.
“While reiterating the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to protect the welfare of Nigerians, we appeal to Nigerians to obey the laws of other countries and be good ambassadors wherever they live.
“For instance, it is disheartening to note that while the mission successfully sought retrieve for 60 inmates, a Nigerian returning to Nigeria after working in Tanzania for three years was caught with hard drugs at Zanzibar and has since been charged to a Zanzibar High Court for possession of illegal drugs.
“While the mission makes regular visitation to the prisons, it must be noted also that no person is allowed into any prison during this COVID-19 and movement of people from one point to another is highly restricted.”