Arrangements are underway for Nigeria and India to sign
Prisoners Transfer Agreement to allow prisoners of the two countries return to
their home countries to serve their jail terms.
The Indian High Commissioner, Ajjampur Ghanashyam, who said
this while featuring on the News Agency of Nigeria Forum on Sunday in Abuja,
said no fewer than 1,100 Nigerians were serving various prison terms in India.
this while featuring on the News Agency of Nigeria Forum on Sunday in Abuja,
said no fewer than 1,100 Nigerians were serving various prison terms in India.
“When I came to Nigeria, there were about 1,800 Nigerians in
our prisons and that was shocking for me and now I am told it is about 1,100.
our prisons and that was shocking for me and now I am told it is about 1,100.
“We are waiting for an agreement to be signed between India
and Nigeria on transfer of sentenced persons.
and Nigeria on transfer of sentenced persons.
“They need to be brought back from India before commencing
their jail terms so that they can serve their sentences here.
their jail terms so that they can serve their sentences here.
“At this moment, it is pending with the Nigerian government.
I hope that we will be able to sign it”, he said.
I hope that we will be able to sign it”, he said.
The Indian envoy also said some Indians had been arrested as
pirates, adding that the High Commission was engaging the Nigerian authorities
to ensure that the innocent ones among them released.
pirates, adding that the High Commission was engaging the Nigerian authorities
to ensure that the innocent ones among them released.
“We still have some problems with piracy. There are ships
operators who hire Indians to run the ships.
operators who hire Indians to run the ships.
“The boys are not aware of that the ships are used for
bunkering; they are paid to do a job on the ship.
bunkering; they are paid to do a job on the ship.
“So they picked up the job and then land on the ship only
for the Navy to come and pick them up and take them to jail.
for the Navy to come and pick them up and take them to jail.
“You must arrest the owner of the ship, maybe you should
arrest the Captain of the ship but not these boys who have no knowledge of what
the ship was doing,” he told NAN.
arrest the Captain of the ship but not these boys who have no knowledge of what
the ship was doing,” he told NAN.
Mr. Ghanashyam said Indians living in Nigeria were quite
happy, adding: “I have not come across Indians who complain but occasionally
there are some pockets of kidnappings”.
happy, adding: “I have not come across Indians who complain but occasionally
there are some pockets of kidnappings”.
“But ultimately we have not seen any loss of lives to
kidnapping and I believe the situation was much worse before.
kidnapping and I believe the situation was much worse before.
“This is because I think the infrastructure of law
enforcements in the country is now far better than what it was in the past in
Nigeria,” he said.
enforcements in the country is now far better than what it was in the past in
Nigeria,” he said.
(NAN)
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