8000 Nigerians Rot In Foreign Prisons, Says Dabiri-Erewa!

The Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has expressed shock with the increasing number of Nigerians languishing in jails in different parts of the world.

She said over 8000 Nigerian citizens are presently serving various jail terms, including life sentences in prisons in South Africa, Brazil, China, India and other European countries.

Dabiri-Erewa, who represents Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, disclosed this yesterday, while addressing over 4000 youths at the ongoing Nigerian Leadership Summit, holding at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. Over 4000 youths across the country attended the summit, which was convened by Nicholas Okoye, the founder of Empower Nigeria Initiative and President, Anabel Group, which is geared towards creating one million new jobs for the youths within the next three years.

The Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, the former vice president, World Bank, Oby Ezekwesili, Director General, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Frank Nweke, Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI), Evelyn Oputu, Prof Pat Utomi, Adenike Ogunlesi, Prof Barth Nnaji, Alex Otti, Director General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Emeka Mba are among the dignitaries participating in the summit.

While giving details of the prisoners, the lawmaker said 409 Nigerians were serving in South African prison, while over 600 of them, including women were serving in Brazil.  According to her, some of the convicts are graduates of Nigerian universities, who left the country in high hopes for greener pasture abroad but ended up behind bars in the prime of their age. The Sun Nigeria report.