By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
DEEPENING FRUSTRATION has grown over the continued detention of Nigerians in Ethiopian prisons despite Nigeria’s efforts to activate a bilateral arrangement that would allow their transfer home.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has stated that the delay in implementing the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) rests entirely with Ethiopia.
Speaking through her media aide, Magnus Eze, Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had completed all formalities required from Nigeria’s side of the agreement.
She emphasised that the Ethiopian government has yet to ratify the MoU, which is preventing convicted Nigerians from serving the remainder of their sentences in Nigeria.
The minister underlined the seriousness of the matter, warning that prolonged delays place lives at risk.
“Our people don’t want to hear that another Nigerian inmate died in Ethiopian prison,” she said, pointing to poor prison conditions as a major concern.
According to ministry data, more than 270 Nigerians were serving various prison terms in Ethiopia as of 2023, the majority for drug-related offences.
Officials noted that conditions in Ethiopian facilities, including overcrowding and inadequate healthcare, have heightened calls for urgent implementation of the transfer arrangement.
The ministry confirmed that Nigeria has pursued repeated diplomatic engagements with Addis Ababa in an effort to finalise the MoU.
Despite sustained pressure, the Ethiopian authorities have not moved forward with ratification. Civil society organisations and rights advocates in Nigeria have also continued to demand action, stressing that the lack of progress prolongs hardship for inmates and their families.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reiterated that Nigeria remains committed to the welfare of its citizens abroad.
She said the MoU with Ethiopia is regarded as both a humanitarian necessity and a diplomatic obligation, consistent with international practices that allow convicted persons to complete their sentences in their home countries.
Officials stressed that the framework would reduce the hardship faced by prisoners abroad by reuniting them with family support networks while they serve their terms under Nigerian jurisdiction.
It would also demonstrate Nigeria’s readiness to protect its citizens in line with established bilateral cooperation norms.
While Nigeria has finalised its own procedures, the absence of a reciprocal step from Ethiopia has prevented the agreement from taking effect. According to the ministry, assurances made during bilateral talks have yet to translate into action.
The government has pledged to continue engaging Ethiopian authorities to bring the agreement into force.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria would not relent until the issue is resolved, noting that a breakthrough would offer relief to families of the inmates and restore confidence in the country’s diplomatic protection for citizens abroad.
The matter has drawn wider attention as part of the broader challenge of Nigerians imprisoned in foreign jurisdictions.
Advocacy groups have argued that prisoner transfer agreements are essential to safeguarding the dignity of citizens and ensuring they are not abandoned in harsh conditions overseas.
For now, over 270 Nigerians remain behind Ethiopian prison walls, their fate tied to a pending MoU.
Until ratification is secured, the transfer of inmates to Nigeria will remain on hold, with pressure continuing on both governments to reach a resolution grounded in humanitarian concern and mutual respect.
