FG ratifies two-year-old pact with Spain on mutual legal assistance

The Federal Government has ratified an existing agreement with the Kingdom of Spain, which it says will help combat crime and corruption in Nigeria.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, announced this during a briefing with journalists at the end of Monday’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja.

During his visit to Madrid, Spain, in early June 2022, former President Muhammadu Buhari signed at least nine agreements and Memoranda of Understanding with the Spanish Government.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the agreements included the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; Transfer of Sentenced Persons; Extradition; Economic and Commercial Cooperation; and Tourism.

Others were on sports, health, the fight against COVID-19, as well as science and innovation.

However, the treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; Transfer of Sentenced Persons; and Extradition remained unratified until Monday.

Nigeria’s Justice Minister explained, “Before now, there had been what we call trans-border inhibitions, where somebody who is wanted in Nigeria, for example, goes beyond the borders of Nigeria. How do we get them arrested?

“For today, we dealt with the one concerning Nigeria and the Kingdom of Spain. So we took three memos in quick succession, one dealing with the exchange of information, including investigation.

“We have an agreement that was signed in June 2022. So, after the agreement, the law requires that you come back home and have it ratified. It was presented to the Council today, and it was passed.”

Fagbemi said the second memo concerned the exchange of assistance to bring back fugitives trying to escape justice.

“You know, it’s either you bring them to justice or you take justice to them. So, either way, this second aspect of mutual legal assistance has been ratified,” he explained.

The third memo concerned conviction where the minister

said, “We have an agreement with Spain that, depending on the request, we can exchange persons sentenced to serve their sentence here or there.”