Abuja- The Federal Government in Abuja on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) on prisoner exchange arrangements and immigration issues.
The Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, signed on behalf of the Federal Government while Mrs Mary Calam, UK Director-General, Crime and Policing, Home Affairs, signed for her government.
Moro said the MoU would go a long way in fast-tracking the prison reform programmes and the prisoner exchange programme between both countries.
“This MoU shows that we are totally committed to issues for which implementation committees have been set up.
“I am aware that officials of both countries continue to work together towards ensuring a seamless implementation of what we have agreed upon,’’ he said.
He explained that with the signing of the agreement, some prisons and facilities in the country would be rehabilitated in line with international best practice.
He said that some prisons in Lagos, Ilorin, Ibadan and the Kuje prisons in Abuja, were already undergoing rehabilitation due to the agreement.
“I will request that a few of the basics that needs to be undertaken, such as the upgrading and rehabilitation of certain facilities will be quickly addressed.
“This will be with the joint efforts of both countries in Lagos, Ilorin and Ibadan.
“I am also aware that we have an outstanding project to complete at the Kuje prison.
“It is also my desire that your visit will fast track the completion of the project,’’ the minister said.
Moro said with the signing of the agreement, all the bottlenecks in the implementation of prisoners’ transfer between both countries would be taken care of.
He assured that Nigeria would continue to work closely with the UK in a bid to curtail insurgency in Nigeria.
Earlier, Calam said that the visit and signing of the MoU would go a long way in deepening the cordial relationship between both countries.
She said the UK government was ready to work closely with the Nigerian government in areas of common interest such as immigration and security.
The prisoner exchange programme agreement is meant to allow Nigerians serving jail terms in the UK and Britons serving jail terms in Nigeria to transfer and serve their sentences in their respective countries. (NAN)
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