The Federal Executive Council, FEC, has taken 3 memoranda on Nigeria’s agreement with Spain on legal assistance presented by the Ministry of Justice for approval for ratification.
According to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, if ratified by the National Assembly, the agreement makes it mandatory for both countries to, by request, arrest and hand over suspects that have taken refuge in any of the countries.
He said it will also be mandatory for the countries to hand over fugitives and criminals in their custodies, which are wanted at home to face justice.
“As you all know, there are three stages. The first one is the investigation aspect. The second one is the prosecution of the suspects and ensuring that they serve the sentence as a deterrence”, he explained.
He said the agreement will make it possible to exchange information, including investigation with the country of refuge of the wanted person, prosecute them and send them back home to serve their prison terms.
“So we have an agreement that either way, we can exchange persons sentenced to either serve their sentence here or there. So these has significantly shown that there is no hiding place for criminals. If they go outside the shores of the country they can be rest assured that the arms of the law is long enough to reach them”, the Attorney General explained further.
