Thailand set to repatriate 70 Nigerian prisoners

Thailand will go ahead with the planned deportation of at least 70 Nigerians currently serving in its prisons, despite last month’s coup in the southeast Asian country.

According to Nigeria’s ambassador to Thailand, Mr Chudi Okafor, who confirmed the development to NAN from Bangkok, the convicts will complete their prison terms in Nigeria.

Okafor said that despite military intervention, Thailand is still talking with Nigeria on completing the transfer of prisoners between both countries.

“The last repatriation of convicted Nigeria prisoners was on October 1 and October 2, 2012; and now the process is still on, and we are compiling the list with the state authorities here,” Okafor said.

“We envisage that sooner than later, the next batch of Nigerian prisoners would be sent home.”

With more than 500 Nigerians in Thai prisons due mainly to drug-related offences, Okafor advised intending Nigerian visitors to Thailand to ensure that they had genuine business to do in the country.

“Don’t jump into a plane because you have a ticket to come to Thailand; and also, our parents should ensure that their children don’t travel needlessly, particularly to countries in Asia,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the military takeover of government in the country would not affect its “strong and cordial” relations with Nigeria.

“We don’t have to dabble into their internal process,” he said.

“As a country, we wish they settle their challenges peacefully and return to democracy, according to their own internal process.”

Since 2008, Nigeria and Thailand have been implementing a Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) that has triggered the repatriation of about 400 Nigerian prisoners.