Over 15,000 Nigerians currently in prisons abroad.
Nigerian and Italy would soon conclude negotiations on a Prisoners Transfer Agreement, PTA, to facilitate the return of over 700 Nigerian prisoners serving sentences in various prisons across Italy.
The Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Fulvius Rusticu, said on Thursday in Abuja.
Mr. Rusticu said Nigerian and Italian officials would meet in the first week of July in Rome to finalise the agreement and possibly work out modalities for the immediate return of the prisoners.
The ambassador explained that under the agreement, Nigerian Prisoners who qualify for the transfer must return home to complete their prison terms.
He said that his government was not obligated to help improve the condition of prisons in Nigeria as a pre-condition for signing the agreement.
"Each country is responsible for its prisons. The logic in signing a PTA is that we think that it is better for Nigerians and even Italians to serve their terms at home. Already to be in prisons is not a nice experience, being abroad is even worse, so giving the prisoner the chance to return home is in their own interest".
According to official figures from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, no fewer than 15,316 Nigerians are in various prisons abroad with the largest number, 752 in the U.K.
Prior to the signing, a major challenge on deportation was the condition of prisons in Nigeria but the U.K had pledged £1 million (N277 million) to Nigeria to help improve its prisons.
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