Nigeria: Prisoners

(asked on 18th November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria about the report from its National Bureau of Statistics, published on 23 April, which found that more than 70 per cent of that country's prison population is on remand without sentence.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 2nd December 2020

The UK Government shares the concern about the findings in the report by the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics. Although we have not discussed this specific report with the Nigerian authorities, officials at our High Commission have raised the issue of the large numbers of prisoners awaiting trial and the need for due process to be followed in a timely manner in all cases. It is important that the federal and state governments take steps to reduce the number of prisoners on remand without sentence. Our High Commission will continue to engage with the Nigerian Ministry of Justice on this subject.

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