Nigerians react: UK plan to send Nigerian prisoners home

OCTOBER 27, 2013 BY Gbenga Adeniji, Motunrayo Joel and Yetunde Brown

Prisoners’ll prefer UK prisons

This is an issue that should be looked into critically. Though there has been an agreement between Nigeria and the UK authorities on the issue, I think the prisoners will prefer to serve their jail terms in the UK than in Nigeria.

— Saheed Akinkunmi

They should be jailed in UK

I think the Nigerian criminals should be allowed to serve their jail terms where they committed the offence. The condition of jails in the country is very poor. Besides, when some of the prisoners are brought back to Nigeria, they are likely to find their way out without serving the punishment. Examples abound of how some influential Nigerians were discharged and acquitted for offences they committed.

— Tunde Ojo

It’s risky

I will not applaud the UK in any way for planning to repatriate 267 Nigerian prisoners. The prisoners committed the various criminal offences in the UK, so they should serve their jail terms there. Sending them back home may put them at risk of diseases. This is because many of our prisons are not in good condition. I urge the Federal Government to reconsider this agreement with the UK authorities.

— Temitope Omoba

Upgrade prisons

Repatriating foreign nationals is not new to world politics. I do not think there should be noise over the decision of the UK authorities to repatriate hundreds of Nigerians to serve their jail terms in the country. As long as there is mutual agreement between both governments and it follows due process, it’s welcome. I just want to appeal to the Nigerian Government to upgrade and decongest our prisons to make it habitable for offenders.

— Ogundimu Olufemi

They are welcome home

When one examines the state of the Nigerian prisons, it will be in the best interest of the prisoners to stay where they committed the crime and have a chance of a better life after their terms. But since they are Nigerians and committed crimes in another man’s land, they are welcome home.

— Omowunmi Ade-Daniels

Our prisons are congested

Nigerian criminals abroad should serve their jail terms where they committed the act. The prisons in Nigeria are congested. So, the idea of bringing in more prisoners would only make matters worse. Instead of planning to repatriate the criminals to serve the jail terms in Nigeria, they should be jailed where they committed the offence.

— Okon Anthony

Bad government responsible

There seems to be an increase in the number of Nigerians who are perpetrating crimes for survival. I am of the view that our bad government is responsible for this development even though it is not the reason for anybody to take to crime. I laud the decision of the UK authorities only that the prisoners would want to serve their jail terms in the UK. One only hopes that this will serve as a warning to Nigerians abroad who are into crime to desist from it.

— Adebo Paul

Nigeria may politicise it

The step would have been a welcome development if Nigerians have respect for the law, especially our leaders but regrettably it is not so. We witnessed how a politician was absolved of wrongdoing in Nigeria only to be found guilty in the UK. The first problem I foresee is that some of those convicted in the UK may come to Nigeria and become free because we politicise almost everything in Nigeria. Even the prison facilities in the country are not enough for inmates not to talk of adding more from the UK. We need to also examine the issue of jurisdiction. The prisoners committed the offences in the UK, why repatriate them to Nigeria? It does not matter whether the UK wants to protect its resources and facilities. I believe that repatriating them to serve in Nigeria is not good enough. They should be jailed where they committed the offences.

— Tunji Odediran

Nigerian prisons breed criminals

The prison transfer agreement between the FG and UK government is a welcome development. But it is vital to note that the prisons in Nigeria are incomparable to the ones in UK. Nigerian prisons do not reform. It breeds criminals. If the UK is sincere about the objectives of what the prison should achieve in the life of prisoners, then they should build more prison facilities than repatriating them into countries known for jailbreaks and employing the services of criminals for political thuggery.  Some of those being sent home may remain unchanged after serving jail terms.  I think the UK would regret this decision in the near future.

— Yekinni Akinkorede

They should come back home

The prisoners should come back to Nigeria and face the music.  It is better to serve your jail term in one’s fatherland than in another man’s. Besides, Nigerians don’t mind going to jail abroad because they believe they would be well catered-for there. I think when Nigerians are repatriated to serve their jail terms, the fear of the prisons would make them to be wary of criminal activities.

— Tene Mayomi

They‘ll become hardened here

When one considers the fact that Nigerian prisons are in a bad shape, the repatriation would not be applauded no matter how good the UK decision may be. The bad state of Nigerian prisons could make the prisoners appreciate the ones in UK better.  At the end of it all, Nigerian prisons could make them hardened. Some of the prisoners went to the UK in search of greener pasture and possibly fell victims of the law there through criminal acts. Hence, they should be allowed to serve their jail terms in the UK.

— Andrew Alex

Our prisons overstretched

I do not see anything wrong with the decision since the two countries have agreed on the repatriation of the prisoners. But what I do not support is that Nigerian prisons would be overstretched since most of them have been choked beyond their capacities.

— Femi Okunnuwa