The Federal Government has concluded arrangements to repatriate more than 100 Nigerian prisoners currently serving jail terms in Ethiopia following a bilateral prisoner transfer agreement between both countries .
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this on Wednesday in a post on her X handle while in Addis Ababa for the signing of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement between Nigeria and Ethiopia . She traveled alongside the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), for the agreement, which is aimed at enabling convicted nationals of both countries to serve their remaining sentences in their home countries .
According to the minister, the agreement covers Nigerian inmates currently held in Kaliti and Aba Samuel prisons in Ethiopia, and will facilitate their transfer back to Nigeria . She noted that during the negotiation process, judicial vetting and ratification stages, four Nigerian prisoners died before the deal was concluded .
“We cannot afford to lose any more precious lives. We are determined to bring home the living,” she said .
The minister explained that the Nigerian delegation was received in Addis Ababa by Ethiopia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the country’s Chief of Protocol ahead of the signing ceremony . She described the arrangement as a reflection of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the welfare and protection of Nigerians abroad .
According to official Ministry of Foreign Affairs figures, more than 270 Nigerians are currently serving prison sentences in Ethiopia, largely for drug-related offences, with most held at Kaliti Prison in Addis Ababa . Since 2019, advocacy groups have alleged overcrowding, starvation, lack of medical care, and physical punishment at the facility .
The Minister added that while the Federal Government continues to encourage Nigerians abroad to obey the laws of their host countries, it remains committed to ensuring that citizens who come into conflict with the law are treated with dignity and in line with international legal standards .
The agreement is expected to pave the way for the gradual repatriation of eligible Nigerian inmates in Ethiopia in the coming months .
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