Nigeria, Ethiopia Sign Prisoner Transfer Deal As FG Moves To Repatriate Nearly 100 Inmates
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Stella Omona
Nearly 100 Nigerian nationals serving prison sentences in Ethiopia are set to benefit from a newly signed Prisoner Transfer Agreement between Nigeria and Ethiopia, following a diplomatic initiative by the Federal Government.
The agreement was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, during a visit to Nigerian inmates at Aba Samuel Prison in Ethiopia, where she delivered President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of reassurance that Nigeria had not abandoned its citizens abroad, a statement said at the weekend..
The agreement, signed on June 10 in Addis Ababa, allows convicted persons from both countries to be transferred to their home nations to complete their jail terms. Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), signed on behalf of Nigeria, while Ethiopia’s Minister of Justice, Hanna Arayaselassie, signed for her country.
According to Ethiopian authorities, about 98 Nigerian inmates — comprising 96 men and two women — are eligible for transfer under the arrangement. Beneficiaries must consent to the transfer and have at least one year remaining on their sentences.
Speaking to the inmates after meetings with officials of the Ethiopian Federal Prisons Commission and Ministry of Justice, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the agreement reflected the citizen-focused diplomacy embedded in the Tinubu administration’s 4-D foreign policy framework of Diplomacy, Democracy, Development and Demography.
She described the agreement as a humanitarian initiative founded on justice, cooperation and respect for human dignity, noting that four Nigerian inmates had died during the lengthy negotiations and legal processes that preceded the deal.
The minister reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of Nigerians abroad while urging citizens to respect the laws of their host countries.
She, however, cautioned that the transfer arrangement should not be viewed as encouragement for criminal conduct, warning Nigerians against engaging in unlawful activities abroad.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged the inmates to cooperate with prison authorities in completing the necessary documentation and consent forms required for their transfer to Nigeria.
She also encouraged them to embrace rehabilitation, self-improvement and skills development opportunities that would help them reintegrate into society upon their return.
The Assistant Controller General (Operations) of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Aminu Yusuf, who represented the Controller General, assured the inmates that arrangements had been made to receive them at the Kuje Correctional Centre upon their return.
According to him, after completing initial documentation, the inmates would be transferred to correctional facilities closer to their families based on administrative considerations.
The announcement sparked excitement among the inmates, many of whom expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and legal representatives involved in facilitating the agreement.
Speaking on behalf of the inmates, their spokesperson commended both governments for concluding the prisoner transfer agreement and pledged that beneficiaries would maintain good conduct upon their return to Nigeria.
The prisoner transfer agreement marks a significant milestone in diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Ethiopia and underscores ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to safeguard the welfare of Nigerians abroad while promoting rehabilitation and reintegration for convicted citizens.
