Federal Government of Nigeria has concluded arrangements with the Government of Ethiopia for the transfer of more than 100 Nigerian prisoners currently serving various jail terms in Ethiopian correctional facilities back to Nigeria.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this on Wednesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she arrived alongside the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), for the signing of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement between both countries.
According to the minister, the bilateral agreement is aimed at facilitating the return of Nigerian inmates currently held in Ethiopia’s Kaliti and Aba Samuel prisons to serve the remainder of their sentences in Nigeria.
She said the Nigerian delegation was received on arrival by Ethiopia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the country’s Chief of Protocol ahead of the signing ceremony.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu described the agreement as a major humanitarian milestone and a reflection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians living abroad.
She stated: “In Addis Ababa to sign a very important agreement with the Government of Ethiopia, together with the AGF HM Lateef Fagbemi, to transfer over 100 Nigerian Prisoners that are currently languishing in their prisons, namely the Kaliti Prisons and AbaSamuel Prisons, Ethiopia, back to Nigeria.”
The minister added: “We were met upon arrival by the HMOS Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia and the Chief of Protocol. This Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement is a bilateral agreement between the two nations of Ethiopia and Nigeria. The signature ceremony takes place this afternoon.”
She expressed appreciation to the Ethiopian government for its cooperation throughout the process.
“On behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for whom the welfare and protection of Nigerian citizens abroad remains a priority, I wish to convey our sincere appreciation to the Government and People of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for this important milestone,” she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that four Nigerian inmates had died while negotiations, judicial reviews and ratification procedures were ongoing, stressing the need to expedite the implementation of the agreement.
“Four Nigerian Prisoners have died within the time frame it has taken for the negotiations, judicial vetting and this final ratification process. We cannot afford to lose any more precious lives. We are determined to bring home the living. The Agreement we sign today is rooted in the principles of humanity and justice and cooperation between our two nations,” she stated.
The minister further reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of Nigerians abroad, while urging citizens to remain law-abiding in their countries of residence.
“While we continue to encourage our citizens living and traveling abroad to respect the laws of their host countries, and uphold the good name of our nation, we also remain committed to ensuring that those who find themselves in conflict with the law are treated with dignity and accorded their rights under applicable legal frameworks,” she added.
The agreement is expected to pave the way for the repatriation of affected Nigerian inmates, allowing them to serve the remainder of their sentences closer to their families and within Nigeria’s correctional system.
