Nigeria seeks prisoner swap with UK

Senator Umar Tambuwal 

The Nigerian National Assembly says it plans to swap prisoners with the United Kingdom, following promise by the British government to provide funds for the execution of the program.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Legal Matters and Human Rights, Senator Umar Tambuwal disclosed this at the beginning of a prison audit exercise organised by the National Human Rights Commission at the Kuje Prison in Abuja.
According to Tambuwal, the commencement of the prison swap program is dependent on the successful amendment to the Prison Act.
He explained that the process to evolve a new prison law had gone beyond the second reading, stressing that it was expected that in about two weeks, the process would have been completed and the amendment effected.
He added that the swapping would not happen if the law does not allow the swap but that above all, the lawmakers are expected to renovate the country’s prisons to meet the minimum world standard.
``The criminal justice reform is on course, but efforts must be stepped up to ensure quick dispensation of justice as what we have now is not ideal,’’ he said.
Tambuwal noted that the life of many depended on the action or inaction of the judges, while he urged judges to be committed to their duties.
``Over the last two years, the Senate has approved a total of N160 billion to the Judiciary and we have also increased the number of judges. They are paid well and they live in government houses. It is,
therefore, disheartening to hear numerous complaints of ineptitude and corruption from people against them,'' Tambuwal said.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission Prof. Bem Angwe said that the prison audit was meant to expose the inadequacies associated with prison management.
He added that the condition of prisons in the country required immediate attention, stressing that, the commission was committed to defending and enforcing the rights of inmates.
Angwe said the commission was collaborating with the police to start the prosecution of people who gave false information.
``A good number of inmates today are in prison based on false allegations and we believe that fighting this practice would help decongest the prisons.

October 09, 2012