Nigeria and Ethiopia have signed a landmark Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement, enabling convicted nationals of both countries to serve their prison terms in their home nations under agreed legal conditions.
The pact was signed on Thursday in Addis Ababa by Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, and Ethiopia’s Justice Minister, Hanna Arayaselassie. The ceremony was witnessed by senior officials from both governments and facilitated by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Ethiopian counterpart, Gideon Timothewos.
Describing the agreement as a reflection of shared commitment to justice, humanity, and international cooperation, Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasized the importance of family support, language, culture, and social ties in the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. “Modern correctional systems should go beyond punishment to provide opportunities for reform and eventual reintegration into society,” she said.
The minister highlighted that the welfare and protection of Nigerian citizens abroad remain a top priority for the Nigerian government, especially under its citizen-centred foreign policy. She urged Nigerians living overseas to respect the laws of their host countries while stressing that offenders should be treated with dignity
and accorded their full legal rights.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted the agreement strengthens consular relations and reflects deepening bilateral ties between Nigeria and Ethiopia in trade, investment, aviation, security, migration, and regional peace efforts.
In a sobering disclosure, she revealed that four Nigerian prisoners had died in Ethiopian custody while negotiations and ratification processes were underway. With more than 100 Nigerians, including four women currently incarcerated in Ethiopian prisons, the minister stressed the urgency of implementation. “We cannot afford to lose any more precious lives. We are determined to bring home the living,” she declared.
As part of her visit, Odumegwu-Ojukwu is expected to tour the Kaliti and Aba Samuel prisons, where many Nigerian inmates are held.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Timothewos welcomed the deal as another milestone in the two countries’ six-decade relationship. He called for continued consultation and coordination on mutual interests to benefit both nations and the broader African continent.
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