President Bola Tinubu has directed a high-level Nigerian delegation to Ethiopia to secure the return of nearly 300 Nigerian citizens currently serving prison terms in the East African country.
The delegation, led by Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, is expected to sign a prisoner-transfer agreement with the Ethiopian government. The arrangement would allow the inmates to complete their sentences in Nigerian correctional facilities.
According to government sources, the President ordered the urgent intervention following reports of worsening conditions at Kaliti Prison in Addis Ababa, where most of the Nigerian inmates are being held.
Officials said many of the prisoners are suffering from poor living conditions, inadequate medical care, and overcrowding. Reports of inmate deaths in recent years have increased pressure on Nigerian authorities to act.
More than 270 Nigerians, many convicted on drug-related charges, are currently imprisoned in Ethiopia. Advocacy groups and relatives of the inmates have repeatedly appealed to the Nigerian government to facilitate their transfer home.
The issue has been under diplomatic discussion for several years. Nigeria completed its requirements for a prisoner-transfer Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), but the agreement reportedly faced delays on the Ethiopian side.
The latest move follows a January 2026 decision by Ethiopia’s parliament to ratify several international prisoner-transfer agreements, raising hopes that a similar arrangement with Nigeria can now be finalized.
If successful, the agreement would enable the affected Nigerians to serve the remainder of their sentences in their home country while maintaining family contact and improving rehabilitation opportunities.
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