Some repatriated Nigerian inmates have called on President Muhammadu Buhari as a matter of urgency to mandate the Nigerian Prisons Service to stop their unjustified incarceration and honour the agreement it signed with Thailand government before they were repatriated.
In a statement personally sent to SPYNigeria.com, a Facebook user, Kingsley Chikwubuike said that the Nigerians Prisons Service has reneged from the treaty between governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that of the royal kingdom of Thailand before the inmates were repatriated to Nigeria.
He said: “We, Nigeria inmates repatriated from Thailand prisons hereby plead for your intervention in our continued incarceration here in Nigeria, many years after repatriation from Thailand.
“We have all served the mandatory 6-9 years in Thailand prisons before being brought back here on treaty between governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that of the royal kingdom of Thailand.
“Sir, before filling out the voluntary repatriation forms, we were told that, like other batches repatriated before us, we would be released after 12 months rehabilitation. We were also made to believe that the whole aim of the treaty is to give offenders a second chance. Read more:
“Sir, before filling out the voluntary repatriation forms, we were told that, like other batches repatriated before us, we would be released after 12 months rehabilitation.
We were also made to believe that the whole aim of the treaty is to give offenders a second chance. “It was based on these convictions that our families paid the sum of us$ 1200 (one thousand two hundred dollars) for each inmate to cover the cost of flight tickets and other expenses.
“These payments were made to Nigeria embassy in Thailand and receipts were issued. However, sir, on getting to Nigeria, the story changed. The prison services said we were brought back to serve out sentences imposed by Thailand government.
“We agreed, but periodic reduction of sentences approved and implemented by Thailand government have never been effected in our cases, while most of our colleagues and casemates that declined the treaty offer, have all been released.
“Some of them have even visited us here in Nigerian prison.
We have complained severally to the prison headquarters, some royal fathers including HRM Oba Tejuosho has appealed to the previous administration and also to the present leadership and yet nothing.
“The prison services seem intent on frustrating any effort we make towards regaining our freedom.
They always claim that Thailand authorities protested against early release of repatriated Nigerians because some of those released inmates went back to Thailand and committed same offences.
“Sir, while it may be true that few of the released inmates went back to Thailand because they have wives and children over there, but the main problem was that Nigeria’s foreign mission did not provide answers to two questions asked by Thailand authorities in a letter sent to our foreign ministry through the Nigeria embassy in the year 2010.
The questions are as quoted “(1) how do you rehabilitate inmates taken back to your country, (2) how do we treat cases of those who came back to Thailand and commit same offence.” these questions were never answered and the embassy said the foreign ministry never replied the letter.
He further stated:”Sir, contrary to reasons being given by Nigeria prison services, Thailand authorities only sought clarification on Nigeria government policy towards repatriated inmates, and not protest against early release.
The Nigerian prison authorities always claim that it is Thailand that sentenced us, but whenever we raise the issue of remissions/reduction of sentences approved by Thailand, they will turn round to say that we don’t have any business with Thailand anymore.
“Sir, it is our understanding that we are serving sentences imposed by Thailand authorities, but if we are not entitled to amnesty/pardon and sentence reduction by Thailand government, then whose sentence are we serving?.
“Sir, we are confused and our families have almost given up on us. Some of us were repatriated since 2007.
Please come to our rescue. We are grateful as we hope and pray you will respond to our pleas. We are at Kirikiri maximum security prison Lagos.
“These are the names of the inmates 
1) Wasiu Amusan (2) Derrick Addai (3)George Onyema (4)Napoleon Marvelous Mba (5) Obi titus Ibezim (6) Gloria Ogbonna (7)Henry Azukaeme (
Julius Azubuike (9)Clement yaw Omagbai (10) Okpala Kingsley Chukwubuike (11) Ifeanyi Okafor
(12) Yakubu Yauza Mohammed (13)Kennedy Tanya.
