Britain to pay to jail villains ... in Nigeria

BRITISH taxpayers are funding a prison wing in Nigeria as part of the Government’s bid to force foreign criminals to serve their sentences in their home country.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson confirmed plans to build a £700,000 112-bed wing in Kirikiri Prison in Lagos.

Mr Johnson said: “Tenders have been placed and a supplier identified to conduct the building work.

“It is only possible to return these criminals by assisting Nigeria to increase its numbers of prison places, which will in turn free up prison places in the UK.”

Official figures show 270 Nigerian inmates were in UK jails last year.

However, prison officials in the west African country yesterday claimed they were yet to receive formal plans from the Foreign Office over the proposed wing.

Prison service spokesman Francis Enobore said: “I have not seen any document showing a formal move by the UK.”