The Federal Government has concluded arrangements to repatriate more than 100 Nigerian prisoners serving jail terms in Ethiopia following a new prisoner transfer agreement between both countries.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this in a post on her X handle after attending the signing of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement in Addis Ababa alongside the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.
According to her, the agreement allows convicted nationals of both Nigeria and Ethiopia to serve the remainder of their sentences in their home countries. The Nigerian delegation was received by Ethiopian officials ahead of the signing ceremony.
She explained that the agreement covers Nigerian inmates in Kaliti and Aba Samuel prisons in Ethiopia and will enable their gradual transfer back to Nigeria in the coming months.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the initiative reflects the Tinubu administration’s commitment to the welfare and protection of Nigerians abroad, noting that it is rooted in humanitarian considerations and strengthened bilateral cooperation.
She further revealed that during the negotiation process, four Nigerian inmates died before the agreement was finalised, stressing the urgency of the repatriation.
“We cannot afford to lose any more precious lives. We are determined to bring home the living,” she said.
The Federal Government added that while Nigerians abroad are expected to obey the laws of their host countries, it remains committed to ensuring that citizens who fall foul of the law are treated with dignity in line with international standards.