The Federal Government and its Chinese counterpart have entered into an agreement for prisoners’ swap, especially the repatriation of Nigerian prisoners in China to serve out their jail terms back home.
The swap deal was ratified by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, Wednesday.
Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who stated this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the FEC, meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, explained that the Nigerian prisoners to be affected for now were specifically those jailed in Macau, an autonomous region in the south coast of China.
Malami, however, clarified that for the deal to be effective, it would also need to be ratified by the Chinese authorities, adding that there was plan to sign similar deals with other countries.
The Minister also stated that FEC approved a Federal Government Action Plan on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism.
He explained that this was worked out after Nigeria’s recent suspension from Egmont Group, noting that it would showcase new and more effective measures to combat these vices, as agreed by stakeholders in money laundering and anti-terrorism agencies.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, announced that council also approved N72.9 billion contract for the reconstruction of Creek Road to Tin Can Island through Apapa and Oworonsoki Roads to Toll Gate end of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The project, which excludes the Coconut and Mile 2 sections of the road, is to be handled by the Dangote Group on a Public-Private Partnership.
The PPP arrangement, according to the minister, is to enable the company recover its funding through government’s tax credit policy.
The stretch of the road spans about 27.8 kilometres across 10 lanes, totalling 270.8 kilometres, and is expected to be completed in two years.
