“Border encroachment” ; Nigeria requests release of 12 nationals from meghalaya jail.

Shillong: A Nigerian High Commission representative has met Meghalaya Prison Minister AL Hek and pursue his meddling for the release of 12 nationals apprehended for encroachment into India from Bangladesh.The arrested Nigerians are in prisons in Meghalaya even after completing their six-month jail period, Betrand Tochukwu Ikwuka, who was deputed by the country’s high commission based in New Delhi, said.Six Nigerians each are in Shillong and Jowai district prisons, he said.”Eight months have passed since March and our friends are still languishing in jails here. We are waiting for orders from the Meghalaya government or the Ministry of External Affairs,” he told.

A first-class magistrate in East Jaintia Hills district  ordered that the Nigerians be deported to their country and a copy of the order was also sent to the chief secretary and the DGP, Mr Ikwuka, a student activist based in Bengaluru, said.Demanding the state government to observe the international human rights protocols, he said, “India and Nigeria have a good relationship and we don’t want anything to spoil that.”The Nigerian government does not support the crimes done by them and is unaware of how the charged persons crossed the international border, he said.”They were first-time travellers and did not know where Bangladesh ended and India began,” Mr Ikwuka said.The Nigerian government has so far arrested over 22 agents in the African country for sending people abroad without properly informing them about the local rules and regulations.

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Prison Inspector General M Kharkrang has given assurance for a extensive report on the issue, he said.The commission representative will visit the two prisons during the day, Mr Hek said.The postponement in their freeing was because the Home Department must follow due strategy which also involves the Political Department, he said.The Ministry of External Affairs will be versed for taking necessary action for deporting the Nigerians to their country, the minister added.