TheCable

The Nigerian government and the United Kingdom (UK) have reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to share information that can disrupt organised crime, including trafficking in persons, drugs and illegal migration.

In a statement on its website, the UK said its senior officials from the Home Office welcomed the Nigerian delegation to co-chair the annual ‘Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs dialogue’ on March 19, in London.

The statement said discussions between both countries reaffirmed their strong relationship and led to commitments being made across a range of priority areas of mutual interest, such as migration and countering criminality.

“In this spirit of collaboration, there was agreement to raise awareness within each country of our respective internal systems and cultures,” the statement reads.

“Regarding serious and organised crime, Nigeria and the UK expressed mutual appreciation for ongoing efforts to prevent vulnerable young people from being engaged in criminality, intercepting and disrupting organised crime groups trafficking people and illicit commodities, as well as new opportunities to work together to combat online fraud.

“Both parties recognised the improved engagement and information sharing between our respective governments and high commissions.”

The statement added that both countries committed to proactively engage with relevant authorities to resolve outstanding issues as well as to return nationals with no right to remain in each other’s territories.

The countries also pledged to explore a deeper migration partnership and criminal record data-sharing arrangement through technical working groups.

“The collaborative efforts of Nigeria and the UK on these issues underscore our shared commitment to tackling crime and destabilising factors directly, highlighting the depth of the relationship between the two countries,” the statement added.

Richard Montgomery, British high commissioner to Nigeria, said he is pleased that the UK/Nigeria partnership continues to improve in the areas of migration and countering criminality.

He added that he hopes these relationships end up making both countries safe for citizens.

“I am pleased that the UK/Nigeria partnership continues to grow, including on important issues of migration and countering criminality in all its forms,” Montgomery said.

“Last week, we reaffirmed our commitment to work closely together to disrupt organised crime groups who facilitate illicit trafficking, tackle illegal migration, and ensure those with legitimate travel continue to visit our respective countries.

“We look forward to building our partnership further on areas of mutual interest and ultimately making our countries safer for citizens.”

Meanwhile, both countries intend to engage in further meetings to assess progress against the commitments and to host the next annual ‘Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs’ talks in Nigeria by 2025.