Get Connected
 |  |  | |
Quick Links
Find Nigerian Businesses in Diaspora
Diaspora of the month
Find Nigerian Embassies
Diaspora Commission Bill
UPCOMING EVENTS
Opinion Poll
Diaspora Of The Month
| Nigeria: 6,000 Citizens in Foreign Jails Over Drug Offences |
|
Ajayi told the Abike Dabiri-Erewa-led House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Matters in Abuja that Nigeria had more of its nationals in prisons outside the country than any other African country.
Ajayi who listed some of the countries as Iran 4,000, Brazil 500, Thailand 500, Malaysia 300, said the list was more than that "but that was what we have for now."
He said the bulk of those caught for drug related offences outside the country were from the South-East with majority coming from Anambra State.
"I don't know what we can do about the large number of our brothers from the South-East who indulge in this illicit business. Can you believe that of the 500 Nigerians in Thailand prisons, 480 of them are from the South-East and 450 from it are from Anambra State?"
Ajayi further said the agency had been facing many challenges hindering the optimal performance of its duties as an enforcement agency on drug related matters.
He listed these challenges to include poor funding, lack of necessary equipment, uncooperative attitude of some collaborative agencies, lack of capacity building for staff and difficulty in tracking down drug barons.
"For instance in 2011, our capital budget was N84.5 million but only N61 million was released. Our overheads also reduced from N630 million in 2011 to N600 million despite the fact that our staff strength increased from 3,200 to 5,300," he said.
Ajayi said that Nigeria has not been able to buy a single scanner for its airport commanders since inauguration of the agency but rely on donation from advanced countries, despite the fact that a scanner costs only N30 million.
He said another major challenge confronting the agency was that it was not allowed at the sea port where most of the couriers now use to transact their illegal business.
Said he:"The fact that we were sent out of the seaports will facilitate the entry of more drugs into the country and worsen the situation. "
Ajayi, who pleaded with the committee to assist it solve some of its challenges, said there was need to have a drug attaché in some specific embassies abroad to see to the drug related offences in those countries as the image of Nigeria was involved.
Hon. Dabiri-Erewa, who decried the bad image the increasing number of Nigeria prisoners abroad was giving to the country, asked the agency to come up with a comprehensive plan for its operations. |
Abuja — Director-General, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr Femi Ajayi, weekend, said over 6,000 Nigerians were serving various jail terms across the globe for drug related offences.| Over 1m Nigerians live in London – Mayor of London 04/05/2013 | MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO  Mayor of Brent, London, Micheal Adeyeye, has disclosed that the population of Nigerian immigrants in London has hit over 1 million people. |
| Mark on Nigerians in Diaspora 30/01/2013 | Abdulrahman Abdulrauf  The untoward attitude of some host countries towards Nigerians resident abroad recently received the attention of the Senate. ABDULRAHMAN A. ABDULRAUF writes on the need to stem the tide of unnecessar [ ... ] |
| NASS Demand Justice over Ugboaja's death 29/01/2013 | Administrator  Nigerian Killed in South African Police Custody |
| Nigerian students, footballers Languished in Egyptian Prison 25/01/2013 | Administrator  Facts have emerged that hundreds of Nigerian students and ootballers are languishing in various prisons in Egypt. |
| Dabiri calls for Nigeria-India joint Diaspora Commission - BusinessDay 23/01/2013 | News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  Rep Abike Dabiri-Erewa, (ACN-Lagos) has called for the establishment of a joint action committee on Diaspora between Nigeria and India to harness the potentials of the Diasporas in the two countries. |
| Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa Leads Delegation To India Diaspora Conference 08/01/2013 | Banjoko Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Rep Abike Dabiri-Erewa is to lead the Nigeria delegation to the 11th edition of India Diaspora day celebration holding in Kochi, In [ ... ] |
| Nigerian Sworn In As Councillor For Second Term Of Office In Belgium 08/01/2013 | Tonia Timothy  The Nigerian-born Collins Nweke, was sworn in yesterday (02/01/2013) in the Ostend City Council of Belgium for a second term of office as Honourable Councillor.
|
| Senate Rules Out Voting For Nigerians In Diaspora In 2015 Elections 25/12/2012 | Administrator  The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Sen. Andy Uba, in Abuja on Wednesday ruled out the much agitated voting of Nigerians in Diaspora. |
| Maku Tasks Nigerians In Diaspora On Partnership For National Development 25/12/2012 | News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, on Friday in London called on Nigerians in Diaspora to partner with the government on national development initiatives. |
| 2015: PDP, CPC support diaspora voting 25/12/2012 | Leke Baiyewu  The ruling Peoples Democratic Party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, and the Congress for Progressive Change have thrown their weight behind the proposal for Nigerians in the diaspora to vote during [ ... ] |
| INEC seeks greater powers, Diaspora vote 04/12/2012 | Friday Olokor  The Independent National Electoral Commission has asked the Federal Government for greater autonomy as well as allowing Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote in future elections in the country. [ ... ] |
| Nigerians in Diaspora Collect Signatures to Support Voting Right 26/09/2012 | Leadership  Nigerians living abroad have began the collection of one million signatures for "Nigerian Diaspora Voting Rights Petition" to demand for the right to vote and to be voted for in future elections [ ... ] |
| Obama Declares Nigeria As World's Next Major Economic Giant 27/08/2012 | ABIODUN OLUWAROTIMI  The President of the United States of America, Senator Barrack Obama has declared Nigeria as the world's next economic success story, stressing that the discovery was one of the major reasons why [ ... ] |
| $300,000 capital base: Ghana soft-pedals 28/07/2012 | John Alechenu  There are strong indications that Ghanaian authorities have soft-pedalled on the demand that businesses outfits produce $300,000 as capital before operating in Ghana.
|
| Nigeria not ripe for Diaspora voting, says Senate 21/07/2012 | Sanni Onogu - Nation  Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Andy Uba, yesterday said the hope of Nigerians abroad participating in elections in Nigeria would have to [ ... ] |
| Nigeria: 6,000 Citizens in Foreign Jails Over Drug Offences 30/06/2012 | Vanguard  Abuja — Director-General, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr Femi Ajayi, weekend, said over 6,000 Nigerians were serving various jail terms across the globe for drug related offen [ ... ] |
| Nigeria Threatens To Break Diplomatic Ties With Ghana 30/06/2012 | Peace FM Online  The House of Representatives, weekend, called for the intervention of Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, parliament to prevent deportation of Nigerian businessmen from Ghana. [ ... ] |
| Jonathan charges 93 new ambassadors to protect Nigeria’s interest 19/06/2012 | Administrator  President Goodluck Jonathan has handed out letters of credence to the newly appointed 93 ambassadors, charging them to protect Nigeria’s interest.
|
| Nigeria needs a diaspora commission, says Dabiri-Erewa 26/05/2012 | World Stage News  Johannesburg, South Africa-- Nigeria has been advised to establish a Diaspora Commission that would deal with diaspora matters. Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, [ ... ] |
| Senate backs death sentence for 16 Nigerians in Indonesia 19/05/2012 | Punch  The Senate on Tuesday distanced itself from calls to intervene in the plight of 16 Nigerians facing death penalty for drug trafficking in Indonesia, saying they must face the full brunt of the l [ ... ] |