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Federal government on Wednesday said it will move to investigate cases involving 27 Nigerians currently languishing in Tanzania prisons without trials despite not having prisoners swap treaty with Federal Republic of Tanzania.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated this at the Presidential Villa, when she received Nigel Doddy , in her office.
Dodgy, a former Chairman of the Law Society Charity organization, had taken the ” save our soul (SOS) ” case involving the 27 Nigerians to federal government, for quick intervention,
Doddy, a citizen of the United Kingdom, said he ran into these cases while on a humanitarian work to Tanzanian prisons, pleading with the Nigerian government to urgently step in to give justice to the 27 Nigerians languishing in the Tanzanian prisons without trials
“I’m here to follow up on some reports I gathered in Tanzania two years ago, concerning Nigerians being detained without trial. I was able to identify 27 Nigerians who were detained at the time without trial,
“Importantly, at least four of them remain detained today. The problem is detention without trial. I’m not concerned about whether they are guilty or innocent, what I am concerned about is that they should be taken to courts for trial.
“The delays provide opportunities for evidences to get lost or stolen,” Doddy said.
The human right activist disclosed that Tanzanian lawyers have been extorting monies from those Nigerians in prisons without rendering commensurate services.
He listed the cases to include those of ” a pastor being detained for immigration reasons, awaiting deportation back to Nigeria. For six to eight months, this has not been done. Most seriously, a youth who also has immigration issues and in mental hospital, was sent to prison. He has been there for several months, and I think the Nigerian High Commissioner should take action to secure his return to Nigeria.
“The third humanitarian issue is a Nigerian woman who has been sentenced to life imprisonment, clearly guilty. She should be repatriated to Nigeria to serve her sentence here,” he said.
Doddy also complained of rampant stereotype issues against any Nigerian entering Tanzania, noting that every Nigerian in Tanzania is seen as a drug trafficker.
He called on the Nigerian government to exact pressure on officials of Tanzania to respect their own rules even though diplomatic missions cannot interfere with judicial processes of other countries.
In her response, Dabiri-Erewa, thanked him for his concern for the 27 Nigerians in Tanzania prisons.
“We will look at these matters and ensure that justice is done quickly,” she said.
She assured that the new Nigeria High Commissioner in Tanzania, would be alerted to take up the issues.
She also appealed to Nigerians wherever they go to continue to remain good ambassadors of Nigeria.
According to her, a percentage of bad eggs in the society should not lead to the entire nation being stereotyped, stressing that they were good Nigerians portraying the country in a good light.
For the woman sentenced to life imprisonment in Tanzania, Dabiri-Erewa, noted that she would have to serve her term in Tanzanian prison as there is no transfer treaty between Nigeria and Tanzania.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
