The Nigerian Ambassador to Argentina, Chiver Kaave, has said an estimated 50,000 Nigerians are currently languishing in various prisons across the world.
The Ambassador, who added that he was in the country with some INVESTORS
from Argentina to have a roundtable business interface with their Nigerian counterparts, added that the two countries had many things in common which could be shared to the benefit of the investors.
from Argentina to have a roundtable business interface with their Nigerian counterparts, added that the two countries had many things in common which could be shared to the benefit of the investors.
Kaave said this in an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday night in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.
He said, “It is estimated that there are about 50,000 Nigerians in various prisons across the world and that is a very big number; and it is a very big challenge to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
The Ambassador noted that it was regrettable that most of the cases preferred against the Nigerians were drugs related.
He said, “I have visited several prisons in Argentina where Nigerians have been arrested, tried and convicted, very sadly, on drugs trafficking charges.
“I have visited other prisons in Latin America, in Chile, in Berau and also in Uruguay, and its unfortunate that 99 per cent of these cases are drug trafficking related.”
He explained that there were ongoing efforts to have prisoners-exchange agreement with other countries to reduce the number of Nigerians languishing in foreign prisons.
He said, “We are trying to see if we can have an exchange of prisoners agreement between our countries and we are working on that and maybe, in due time when Nigerians get convicted in other countries, they can be brought back to serve their sentences in Nigeria.”
Source: Punchng
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