By Peter Taiwo
The Federal Government is set to sign an agreement with the Government of Ethiopia to transfer over 100 Nigerian prisoners who are currently languishing in their prisons back to Nigeria.
According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Nigerians are in Kaliti Prisons and AbaSamuel Prisons, Ethiopia.
She revealed that the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement is a bilateral agreement between the two nations of Ethiopia and Nigeria. The signature ceremony takes place this afternoon.
“On behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for whom the welfare and protection of Nigerian citizens abroad remains a priority, I wish to convey our sincere appreciation to the Government and People of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for this important milestone,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
She revealed that four Nigerian prisoners have died within the time frame it has taken for the negotiations, judicial vetting and the final ratification process. She said Nigeria cannot afford to lose any more precious lives, stressing that the country is determined to bring home the living.
The minister revealed that the agreement to be signed is rooted in the principles of humanity, justice and cooperation between our two nations.
“While we continue to encourage our citizens living and travelling abroad to respect the laws of their host countries, and uphold the good name of our nation, we also remain committed to ensuring that those who find themselves in conflict with the law are treated with dignity and accorded their rights under applicable legal frameworks,” she said.
