BREAKING: FG Secures Freedom for 60 Nigerians Imprisoned in Tanzania

The Nigerian government has finalized the agreement to release 60 of the 73 Nigerians imprisoned in Tanzania on different charges.

This repatriation was made possible by the Nigeria ambassador to Tanzania.

The Head, Nigeria’s Media and Public Relations Unit at the Diaspora Commission, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, made this known through a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigerian Mission worked on repatriation of Nigerian prisoners in Tanzania.

“The ambassador, Dr. Sahobi Gada, was in Nigeria in January 2020, specifically for that purpose, after successfully guaranteeing the release of 60 of the 73 Nigerians in various prisons in Tanzania. The arrangements were then being made by the ambassador for their repatriation, “said the statement.

Balogun also said that the majority of those convicted are arrested for alleged drug-related offenses, while some delimit violations of immigration laws.

He explained that the mission was visiting other custody facilities in Tanzania to check on other Nigerians who may be serving prison terms, adding that it had also done an amnesty for prisoners’ amnesty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He noted: “For each of the 73 Nigerians in prison, the mission paid 330,000 shillings (N55,544) as court fees and was always represented in court. The mission also successfully negotiated the repatriation of 60 prisoners. ”

Balogun noted that a British citizen who worked with a non-governmental organization had previously complained to NIDCOM about the slow nature of Tanzania’s judicial system.

“It is disheartening to note that, although the mission achieved a suspension of 60 prisoners, a Nigerian who returned to Nigeria after working in Tanzania for three years was caught with heavy drugs in Zanzibar and has since been charged before the Supreme Court of Zanzibar for possession of illegal drugs, ”said the commission.