BEVERLY HILLS, CA, November 29, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora has described the increasing numbers of Nigerians in foreign prisons as “ridiculously embarrassing”.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made this observation after the committee’s visit to two prisons in South Africa where 409 Nigerians are being held for various offences.
She was accompanied on the visit by Hon. Ajibola Famurewa and Hon. Umaru Shidanfi, both members of the committee; consular officers of the Nigerian Embassy and executives of the Nigerian Union in South Africa.
The committee, at an interaction with some inmates, was told that some of them have completed their prison terms, yet were still being kept in jail.
The inmates complained of extreme discrimination by the prison authorities in South Africa, saying as Nigerians, they get very bad deal.
“Sometimes,” according to the inmates, “ the authorities tore into pieces their Nigerian passports, among several other allegations and refused to grant them bail, while others from other countries that committed similar bailable offence were granted bail.”
Dabiri-Erewa advised the inmates to stay away from crime, saying it obviously does not augur well, no matter what.
By Saint Mugaga, Abuja
