About 98 Nigerians currently serving prison sentences in Ethiopia are set to be transferred back to Nigeria following a prisoner transfer agreement signed between both countries.
The development was disclosed during a visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, to Nigerian inmates at Aba Samuel Prison in Ethiopia, where she assured the Nigerians that the Nigerian government had not abandoned them
The agreement, signed in Addis Ababa on June 10, will allow convicted Nigerians in Ethiopian prisons to complete the remainder of their jail terms in Nigeria. Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), signed the agreement on behalf of Nigeria, while Ethiopia’s Minister of Justice, Hanna Arayaselassie, signed for the Ethiopian government.
Ethiopian authorities stated that about 98 inmates, including two women, qualify for transfer under the arrangement, provided they consent to it and still have at least one year left on their prison terms.
Addressing the inmates, Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that the agreement was part of President Bola Tinubu’s citizen diplomacy policy and was driven by humanitarian considerations and bilateral cooperation between both nations.
She also revealed that four Nigerian inmates died during the period of negotiations and legal processes leading to the signing of the agreement.
The minister urged the inmates to cooperate with authorities by completing the necessary documentation for their transfer, while stressing that the arrangement should not be interpreted as encouragement for criminal conduct.
She encouraged them to focus on rehabilitation and personal development, assuring them that the government would support their reintegration through technical training, skills acquisition, and other empowerment programmes.
“I want to once again thank the Ethiopian government for this prisoner transfer agreement and assure you that the Nigerian government remains concerned about your welfare, dignity, and access to fair treatment under applicable laws,” she said.
She further advised the inmates to maintain hope, discipline, and good conduct, while respecting the laws of their host country.
Assistant Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Aminu Yusuf, who represented the Controller-General, also assured the inmates that arrangements had already been made to receive them upon their return to Nigeria.
According to him, the inmates would first be processed at the Kuje Correctional Centre before being moved to correctional facilities closer to their families.
The announcement reportedly sparked celebrations among the inmates, many of whom expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and their legal representatives.
Speaking on behalf of the inmates, their representative welcomed the agreement and promised that the prisoners would conduct themselves responsibly upon their return to Nigeria.
BACKSTORY…
The planned repatriation is part of a broader prisoner transfer arrangement between Nigeria and Ethiopia aimed at strengthening judicial cooperation and improving the welfare of foreign nationals serving prison terms abroad.
Over the years, Nigeria has engaged in similar agreements with several countries to allow convicted citizens to complete their sentences closer to home. Such arrangements are often driven by humanitarian concerns, including the need to keep inmates nearer to their families and to ease prison congestion in host countries.
The latest agreement follows diplomatic engagements between both nations, culminating in the signing of a formal transfer pact that sets out conditions under which eligible Nigerian inmates can be returned home. It also reflects Nigeria’s wider “citizen diplomacy” policy, which prioritises the protection and welfare of Nigerians abroad.
Against this backdrop, Ethiopian authorities approved the transfer of eligible Nigerian prisoners, paving the way for their eventual return to serve the remainder of their sentences in Nigeria under the supervision of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
