James Ibori & Other Nigerians In UK Prisions Are Set To Complete Jail Term in Nigeria

Former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, may end up completing his prison term in Nigeria. The revelation came yesterday as Nigeria and the UK signed an agreement providing for the transfer of prisoners between the two countries. Ibori, who admitted to a 10-count charge of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering, was sentenced to a 13-year jail term for fraud totaling nearly £50m ($77m) in April 2012. Also, his wife, sister, mistress and London solicitor are also in a UK jail having been convicted of related crime.

The British Government has budgeted the sum of N262million (£1million) to repatriate Ibori and other Nigerians serving various jail terms in United Kingdom. The Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) was one of the key objectives of the communiqué issued by President Goodluck Jonathan and the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, following their meeting in 2011. The agreement will allow Nigerians who commit crimes in the UK, and Britons who commit crimes in Nigeria, to serve their sentences in their own country, where they can be properly prepared for release into the community in which they will live following their release. At the occasion in Abuja, the UK Minister of Justice, Mr. Jeremy Wright and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammad Adoke (SAN), signed the agreement which was coordinated by the Acting Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prof Viola Onwuliri. Mr. Wright, who gave the clarification when he visited the acting minister, shortly before signing the agreement, said the eligibility of Ibori to complete his prison term in Nigeria would be determined by Nigeria and UK governments. Fielding questions from journalists on the fate of high-profile Nigerians currently serving in UK jails, especially the former Delta State governor, under the new agreement, Wright said the prisoners’ permission is not required before repatriation. “In relation to individual prisoners, there has to be a good deal of discussion between our two countries about individual prisoners and the agreement of both countries to be secured before individual transfer. The compulsory nature of this prisoner transfer agreement is that the prisoners’ themselves do not have to choose where they go or not; but the respective countries still have an opportunity to discuss whether a transfer should be made,” he said. Earlier, Onwuliri, described the PTA as historic, adding that experts from both countries would work out modalities for implementation before its ratification. “We have been on the prisoners’ agreement for a long time and we are happy that we are beginning the year on a happy note by signing this agreement,” she said. Speaking later at the signing agreement ceremony, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammad Adoke (SAN), pointed out that the signing of the agreement has once again demonstrated the Federal Government’s irrevocable commitment to the welfare of Nigerians residing in the United Kingdom. “It is, therefore our expectation that in implementing the terms of this agreement, the government of the United Kingdom will continue to accord all convicted, appropriate legal protection and remedies available under the UK laws and relevant international human rights instrument, as well as ensure that all legal remedies have been exhausted to the convicted offenders before they are transferred to Nigeria,” he said. Daily Newswatch