Nigeria and Ethiopia have signed a bilateral agreement to facilitate the transfer of over 100 Nigerian prisoners currently serving sentences in Ethiopian correctional facilities.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this via her official X account on Wednesday, noting that the deal was reached alongside the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
She explained that the agreement will enable the repatriation of Nigerian inmates held in Kaliti Prison and Aba Samuel Prison back to Nigeria.
“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,” she said.
According to her, the arrangement is a bilateral Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement between both countries.
She added that the Nigerian delegation was received in Addis Ababa by Ethiopian officials ahead of the signing ceremony.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the initiative reflects the Tinubu administration’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad.
She also revealed that four Nigerian inmates died during the prolonged negotiation and verification process, stressing the urgency behind concluding the agreement.
The government reiterated its commitment to ensuring the humane treatment and safe return of Nigerians in foreign prisons, while urging citizens abroad to obey the laws of their host countries.