Addressing State House correspondents, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, revealed that during the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, an in-depth discussion took place on a comprehensive strategy for combating crime and corruption. The council approved a policy for swapping prisoners with Spain.
Discussing the importance of the different stages in the process, Fagbemi explained, “There are three key stages involved. Firstly, the investigation phase is crucial. Secondly, the prosecution and sentencing stages are crucial for ensuring that the sentence serves as a deterrent. Previously, there were challenges with trans-border situations where individuals wanted in Nigeria would flee beyond the country’s borders. Efforts were initiated to bring back such individuals for justice through acquiring necessary documentation, even if not available locally. Additionally, some countries have a policy of allowing convicts to serve their sentences in their home country.
“Today’s focus was on the aspects related to Nigeria and the Kingdom of Spain. We tackled three critical memos that include the exchange of information for investigations. A previous agreement signed in June 2022 required ratification, and this was presented before the Council today.”
Continuing, he stated, “The second memo revolved around mutual cooperation to apprehend fugitives attempting to evade justice. The ratified agreement emphasizes the importance of bringing such individuals to face the legal system, either in Nigeria or abroad.”
“The third memo outlined the process post-conviction, questioning what should be done. There is a provision for convicts to serve their sentences interchangeably in either country. This underscores the fact that criminals will find no safe haven outside the jurisdiction of the law.”