FG, China agree on prisoners swap.

ABUJA—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. prisoners The swap deal was ratified by Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday.

Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who disclosed 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. He, 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 disclosed that FEC approved a Federal Government Action Plan on Anti-money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism. 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.