Musings From Abroad

‘It’s a big number,’ Ambassador speaks of Nigerians in Italian prisons

Italian prisons are bursting at the seams with Nigerians. The Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Stefanou Pontesilli, says no fewer than 1500 Nigerians are serving jail terms for various offences in Italy

Published

6 years ago

June 19, 2018

Africa News Watch

“In Italy we have about 1500 Nigerians in jail for various offences. It is a big number.

“We sometimes send them back to Nigeria once they finished their terms because they have not behaved well, ” he said.

He however denied reports that Italy sometimes send Nigerian migrants from Italy to Libya.

“Never, we never sent anyone not even one single person to Libya.

“Some Nigerians are stuck in Libya because they were never able to cross over to Italy, but all those who went to Italy no one, not even one was ever sent back.

“All Nigerians who have reached Italy and are behaving well have no problem.

“Not one of them not even one has heard of being sent back to Libya,” he said.

According to him, thousands of Nigerians unable to cross from Libya to Italy have been stuck in Libya.

“Thank God the government is doing a lot to repatriate them through chattered flights.

“Thanks for the help from the European Union and the International Organisation for Migrations that are slowly repatriating them back to Nigeria,” he said.

Related Topics:1500 Nigerians in jail Ambassador European Union Italian Ambassador to Nigeria Italian prisons Libya Stefanou Pontesilli

Click to comment

Musings From Abroad

Brazilian meatpacker JBS invests $2.5 billion in Nigeria, builds six facilities

Published

2 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Brazilian meatpacker JBS says it has inked a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian government for a $2.5 billion investment plan that will include the construction of six new plants in the African nation.

Three of the plants would deal in poultry, two in beef, and one in pork, according to a statement from JBS.

In accordance with the memorandum of understanding, JBS stated that it would develop a five-year investment plan in Nigeria, which would include budget estimates, feasibility studies, and an action plan for the development of the local supply chain.

The Nigerian government would then guarantee the sanitary, regulatory, and economic conditions required for the project’s viability, JBS continued.

Musings From Abroad

China’s Xi meets with Morocco’s Crown Prince

Published

3 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Morocco’s official media reports that Chinese President, Xi Jinping, visited Morocco briefly on Thursday.

According to Morocco’s MAP, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan welcomed Xi in Casablanca. The visit demonstrated the close ties of camaraderie, collaboration, and solidarity between the Moroccan and Chinese peoples, it said.

China’s official broadcaster, CCTV, said that Xi and Hassan had a “cordial conversation” at the airport after being received by the Crown Prince and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.

After attending the G20 Summit in Brazil, Xi paid the visit.

In recent years, China has increased its investments in Morocco’s rail and infrastructure. Morocco is desirable for Chinese electric car battery manufacturers because of its proximity to Europe, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and an established automotive sector.

Morocco was chosen by Chinese EV battery company Gotion High Tech in June to establish Africa’s first gigafactory, which will cost $1.3 billion in total.