Rumours are rife that Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is on his way out the system; becoming Edward Snowden on the $49 billion Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) missing money was a taboo. The disclosure attracted the ire of President Jonathan and his lieutenants who obviously felt the man should keep mum or just discretely ask for his share of the money since it is just one of the shareable national cakes.

And lest I forget, I am particularly angry with the authorities of Number 10 Downey Street. Why on earth would Britain government go into prisoner swap agreement with Nigeria.

I do not know of any Nigerian that would prefer Nigerian prison to British jail. Exceptions would be the likes of James Ibori who was justly incarcerated for litany of crimes, (and who, like similar accomplice and partner in crime Diepreye Alamieseigha, will eventually get opprobrious presidential pardon and rewarded with titles, contracts and political recognition). 2015 general election is near, and the wisdom some criminals are needed on all fronts.

I bet many will prefer British kennels to slums and hell that wait whoever is repatriated back to Nigeria in the name of prisoner swap. Foolishness of British government in the deal becomes more pronounced with the offer of millions of pounds to improve Nigeria prisons. The money will just go the usual way. Only a problem in the sharing/stealing formula may make us here anything of the money again.

And it seems British obviously do not know we offer spiritual pardon in Nigeria. And even if church services in honour of such convicted criminal fails to offer shamefaced spiritual cleansing, Nigerian judiciary is likely to unconvict the convicted (Chief Bode George comes to mind). Political connection and a portion of what is stolen/embezzled/syphoned, etc. are the only requirement.

Except there is a clause that forbids presidential pardoning for political criminals whose actions exacerbated Nigeria’s current social, political, infrastructural and economic problems, then the whole agreement is charade.

The writer, Femi Olabisi, twits @Femiolas