The ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja has denied a Nigerian’s request to be transferred from a US prison to Nigeria to complete his sentence.
Richard Ugbah, convicted of fraud in the US, wanted the court to order his transfer, claiming he’d met the necessary conditions. However, the court ruled on Thursday that it lacked jurisdiction in this case.
Mr. Ugbah, currently serving an 8-year sentence out of a 12-year term, argued he should be allowed to finish his time in Nigeria. He cited the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s guidelines for international prisoner transfers.
But the ECOWAS Court disagreed, siding with the Nigerian government’s objection. Judge Sengu Koroma, speaking for the panel, deemed the applicant’s claims “unfounded and without legal basis.” Notably, the court also found that the Nigerian Ministry of Justice, named as a separate respondent, wasn’t relevant to the case.
Therefore, the court dismissed all of Mr. Ugbah’s requests.
