The Federal Government has said that no lesser than 400 Nigerians are serving various jail terms in South African prisons.
The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman
Dambazau, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday
stated that most of them were involved in criminal activities.
Dambazau said this while addressing
newsmen in company with his foreign affairs counterpart, Geoffrey
Onyeama, after their trip to South Africa to address the xenophobic
attacks on Nigerian nationals in the former apartheid enclave.
He explained that he had a meeting with
the home affairs minister in South Africa and discussed a wide range of
issues, particularly migration.
He said, “Those convicted are in the
minority because equally we have Nigerian professionals who are
contributing positively to the development of the economy of South
Africa.
“However, that is not to say that they
should fold their arms and not to do something about somebody involved
in criminality, but in doing that, we emphasised that due process of the
law should be followed in terms of presumption of innocence and in
terms of fair hearing.
“I understand that there are about 400 Nigerians who are in their prisons for various offences.”
Dambazau said the offenders would finish
their jail terms in South Africa because there was no prisoner exchange
arrangement between both countries. He, however, said that efforts
would be made to ensure that such arrangement was put in place in due
course.
The minister said he also emphasised that due process of the law should be taken in dealing with suspects.
“When we met with the Nigerian
community, we also emphasised that those who are involved in criminal
behaviour should not be allowed to spoil the good names of themselves
and Nigeria,” he said.
The minister said the issue of passport
challenge was also tabled at the meeting with the Nigerian community
with a promise that it would be resolved.
He added, “There were complaints that
the passport machines were old and from our record we understand that
they were supplied in 2007; I then promised them that arrangement must
be made to ensure that all passport machines are changed to modern ones.
We are going to streamline the issuance of passport.”