The Federal Government has revealed that several Nigerians are currently cooling their heels in prisons in far Asia over various offences.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Thursday revealed that there were about 500 Nigerians in Chinese prisons detained for various offences.
Dabiri-Erewa made this known on the side line of an international seminar on Nigeria-China relations in Abuja.
She, however, refuted claims that there were thousands of Nigerians detained in Chinese prisons and explained that there was no prisoner transfer agreement between both countries.
“You hear 2000 but that is exaggerated. I think we have less than 500 Nigerians in Chinese prisons.
“Until we sign a treaty; there is no treaty between both countries for prisoners’ transfer, when that exists the transfer of prisoners would be possible.
“We get a lot of appeals and some prisoners say they want to move from one prison there to another, it is not going to happen.
“We have been talking to them but their law is their law. My appeal to Nigerians is to obey the laws of that country because it is getting tougher; they have sanctions and they follow through.”