Following reports of deteriorating conditions and the deaths of some inmates, President Bola Tinubu has issued an urgent diplomatic request to return hundreds of Nigerians serving jail sentences in Ethiopia. A high-level Nigerian delegation is anticipated to visit Addis Ababa in order to reach a deal that will permit the inmates to be moved back to Nigeria to finish their prison sentences. Senior government officials, such as Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, comprise the delegation. The President instructed the officials to expedite the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ethiopian authorities in order to facilitate the transfer of the prisoners, according to Presidency sources acquainted with the process.
The action comes in response to mounting worries over the well-being of Nigerians detained at Addis Ababa's Kaliti Prison, where a large number of inmates are allegedly serving terms connected to drug-related offenses. According to government officials, concerns that some of the prisoners were struggling with subpar living circumstances and insufficient medical attention were what spurred the most recent action.
Nearly 300 Nigerians are incarcerated in Ethiopian jails at the moment, according to officials, many of them for crimes related to drug trafficking. Concerns about overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, and restricted access to healthcare have been voiced on several occasions by advocacy groups and the detainees' families. For several years, the matter has remained a diplomatic obstacle between the two nations.
Following reports that several Nigerian prisoners had passed away while in detention, the movement to bring the convicts back gained traction. Families and civil society organizations appealed to the Federal Government to initiate a transfer agreement that would enable the prisoners to serve the balance of their sentences at home after their deaths.
The issue ended up in court as well. Concerns regarding the welfare of the prisoners had already prompted a Federal High Court in Abuja to order pertinent government entities to assist in their homecoming.
Nigerian and Ethiopian officials had already discussed the prospective accord in a number of meetings. The Federal Government insisted that it had fulfilled its own responsibilities and was awaiting the required Ethiopian clearances.
Through 2025, diplomatic attempts persisted, with pledges that talks to find a solution were continuing. Since the matter gained public notice, President Tinubu's most recent instruction is seen as the strongest intervention yet.
If the proposed transfer is carried out, the impacted Nigerians will be able to serve their prison sentences in domestic correctional facilities under an arrangement that is accepted in international practice. Such agreements to help rehabilitation and preserve family ties for sentenced individuals have long been encouraged by global judicial systems.
It is thought that many of the prisoners were detained while traveling through Addis Ababa's international airport, which is one of the busiest transit hubs in Africa. Advocacy groups have maintained that some of the suspects were unintentionally exploited as carriers, even though several were found guilty on drug-related offenses.