Michael Adebowale one of the men who hacked a British Army soldier, Lee Rigby, to death in 2013 is reportedly making a bid to be transferred to a prison in Nigeria to serve the rest of his jail term.
On the afternoon of 22 May 2013, Micahel Adebowale and Michael Adebolajo, Britons of Nigerian descent, attacked and killed Fusilier Lee Rigby of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers outside of his barracks in Woolwich south, east London.
Adebowale is currently serving a life sentence with a minimum of 45 years in Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) at Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England for the murder but has asked for a prisoner-swap deal.
The HMP is the largest high-security prison in the United Kingdom.
Adebowale was moved to HMP Wakefield last year but wants to finish his sentence in Kirikiri jail in Lagos, where former British foreign secretary Boris Johnson pledged £700,000 for a new prisoner wing in 2014.
The Sun reported that Adebowale has told friends he intends to seek a transfer to a prison with a VIP wing in Nigeria and that he has written to immigration experts for advice.
A source told the newspaper:
“Michael hates Wakefield. It’s stuffed full of lags who see him as a top target.
“He thinks he can spend the rest of his sentence in Africa.”
However, it is thought Adebowale’s attempt to swap prisons would fail because he wasn’t born in Nigeria.
Adebowale was born in Britain but has Nigerian parents.
Rigby’s mother Lyn told The Sun:
“This is a disgrace and an insult to Lee. I’m sure he doesn’t like Wakefield Prison but he has the luxury of being alive, unlike my son who he stole from me.
“He should serve his sentence here and not try to exploit the law for a cushier life.”
After nearly decapitating Rigby during the attack in 2013, Adebowale’s partner, Adebolajo reportedly told witnesses to call the police and said that the killing was because
“Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers. And this British soldier is one. It is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
“Through many passages in the Koran we must fight them as they fight us.”
In June 2018, Adebolajo reportedly expressed remorse and “regret” for murdering Lee Rigby in 2013 and plans to write a letter of apology to the Drummer’s family, according to prison sources.
He said he was “brainwashed” and “misinterpreted the Koran”.
