The Federal Government has moved closer to bringing home more than 100 Nigerians serving prison sentences in Ethiopia following the signing of a prisoner-transfer agreement between both countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed that the agreement was scheduled for signing in Addis Ababa on Wednesday. She arrived in the Ethiopian capital alongside the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to finalize the deal.
According to the minister, the agreement will allow convicted Nigerian citizens in Ethiopian prisons to serve the remainder of their jail terms in Nigeria.
The development follows a directive from President Bola Tinubu ordering the immediate repatriation of affected Nigerians. The move is the outcome of months of diplomatic engagements aimed at securing their transfer.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu revealed that delays in concluding the agreement had already taken a toll, noting that four Nigerian inmates died while negotiations, judicial reviews, and ratification processes dragged on.
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“We are determined to bring home the living,” she said, describing the pact as one founded on humanity, justice, and cooperation between both nations.
The welfare of Nigerians detained in Ethiopia has long been a source of concern, with reports highlighting overcrowded prisons, poor healthcare, inadequate food supplies, and unsanitary conditions.
While many inmates are serving sentences for drug-related offences, concerns have also been raised about cases involving alleged wrongful incarceration and lack of adequate legal representation.
Public concern over the issue intensified in 2023 when the Senate ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the imprisonment of about 250 Nigerians in Ethiopia.
The new agreement is expected to ease the plight of affected inmates and allow them to complete their sentences closer to their families and support systems in Nigeria.
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