The Nigerian government has signed a deal with Ethiopia that would allow the transfer of over 100 Nigerians serving jail sentences in Ethiopia to facilities in Nigeria.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed in a statement that the agreement was scheduled to be signed on Wednesday.
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Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu arrived in Addis Ababa to sign the pact alongside the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi. The delegation was received by Ethiopia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the country’s Chief of Protocol.
“The signature ceremony takes place this afternoon,” Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
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The delegation departed Nigeria for Addis Ababa on Tuesday following President Bola Tinubu’s order to immediately repatriate Nigerian nationals serving prison sentences in the country, according to Punch newspapers.
This deal comes after prolonged diplomatic efforts by the Nigerian government to secure the safe repatriation of its citizens. Last October, Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that the signing of the MOU had stalled due to the Ethiopian government’s sluggishness in finalising the process.
“Four Nigerian prisoners have died within the time frame it has taken for the negotiations, judicial vetting and this final ratification process,” Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
She also noted that Nigeria cannot afford to lose “any more precious lives.”
“We are determined to bring home the living. The agreement we signed today is rooted in the principles of humanity and justice and cooperation between our two nations,” she added.
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The welfare of Nigerian prisoners in Ethiopian custody has for a long time been a source of concern. Reports over the years have highlighted the poor conditions of the prisons. Inmates are stuffed in overcrowded facilities and denied good medical care, food supplies, and proper hygienic conditions.
While many of them are held in custody for drug-related offences, there are concerns that some others were wrongly incarcerated or denied proper legal assistance.
In 2023, public outrage had compelled the Senate to order an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incarceration of 250 Nigerians in the country.
