British Government Budgets One Million Pounds To Reform Prisons In Nigeria

Minister of Interior, Abba Moro 

The British government has said it will give Nigeria one million pounds (about N262 million) to assist on comprehensive reformation of her Prisons.

United Kingdom’s Minister of Justice, Mr. Jeremy Wright, revealed this while responding to questions from newsmen when he visited the Nigerian Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, on Thursday to finalize the process of prisoner exchange between Britain and Nigeria.

Mr. Wright further disclosed that under the agreement which he signed, several Nigerians in British prisons including former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, would be repatriated to complete their jail terms in the country.

While stressing the need for the two countries to honour the agreement, the British Minister of Justice thanked the Federal Government for making it possible for the two countries to finalize the agreement which would lead to the mutual exchange of prisoners.

“We believe that the agreement today is a positive step in furthering our mutual relationship and partnership with Nigeria for prisoner exchange,” he said.

Responding, Comrade Abba Moro promised that the country will ensure the agreement on prisoner exchange becomes operative before the end of this year.

“I think that it is in the mutual interest of the two countries that the agreement reached should be implemented to the letter especially with the kind of traditional historical relationship that Nigeria shares with the United Kingdom, we have no reason to say one thing, but do another. This government anchored on transformation, is desirous of ensuring that we do things very differently from the way we were doing things in the past which have not given us results.” Moro said.

Moro commended the British Government for assisting Nigeria in reforming and transforming her prison system, especially in the provision of necessary facilities that would make the prisoners transfer viable, assuring that the Federal Government is committed to the fulfillment of the terms of the agreement.

Written by Joshua Odeyemi , of Daily Trust