H.E Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s Ethiopia Mission Opens Path Home for Nearly 98 Nigerians By Raymond Enoch
For 98 Nigerians serving prison sentences in Ethiopia, Thursday’s visit by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, was more than a diplomatic engagement—it was a powerful signal that their country had not forgotten them.
In an emotional and historic moment at Aba Samuel Prison in Addis Ababa, the minister delivered President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of reassurance to Nigerian inmates, while announcing a landmark prisoner transfer agreement that could see about 98 Nigerians repatriated to serve the remainder of their jail terms in Nigeria.
The visit marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s citizen-centred foreign policy and highlighted the growing diplomatic cooperation between Nigeria and Ethiopia on humanitarian and justice-related matters.
Standing before inmates who erupted in cheers and songs of gratitude, Odumegwu-Ojukwu conveyed a simple but powerful message from President Tinubu: Nigeria would not abandon its citizens, regardless of their circumstances.
The minister’s visit came barely a day after Nigeria and Ethiopia signed the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement in Addis Ababa. The pact, signed by Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, and Ethiopia’s Justice Minister, Hanna Arayaselassie, creates a legal framework for convicted prisoners from both countries to complete their sentences in their home nations.
For the affected Nigerians, many of whom have spent years behind bars far from their families, the agreement represents a lifeline and a renewed chance for rehabilitation and reintegration.
According to Ethiopian prison authorities, 96 male inmates and two female inmates are eligible to benefit from the arrangement, provided they consent to the transfer and have at least one year of their sentences remaining.
Observers describe the minister’s prison visit as one of the most consequential aspects of the mission. Beyond diplomatic formalities, it provided direct engagement with citizens in distress and reinforced the Tinubu administration’s commitment to the protection and welfare of Nigerians abroad.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that the agreement was inspired by the citizen diplomacy component of the administration’s 4-D foreign policy framework—Diplomacy, Democracy, Development and Demography—under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She stressed that while the government remains committed to protecting Nigerians overseas, citizens must equally respect the laws of their host countries.
“This is not a licence for impunity,” she warned, urging inmates to embrace rehabilitation and prepare for productive lives upon their eventual return home.
The minister also revealed the human cost of the lengthy negotiations that culminated in the agreement, disclosing that four Nigerian inmates died while discussions, legal reviews and diplomatic processes were ongoing.
Her remarks resonated deeply among the inmates as she encouraged them to cooperate with authorities in completing the necessary documentation for their transfer.
She further assured them that the Federal Government would continue exploring opportunities for technical training, skills acquisition and other programmes aimed at helping returning inmates rebuild their lives.
The Nigerian Correctional Service also used the occasion to reassure the prisoners of a smooth transition back home.
Representing the Controller-General of the Service, Assistant Controller General (Operations), Aminu Yusuf, informed the inmates that they would initially be received at Kuje Correctional Centre before being relocated to facilities closer to their families where appropriate.
The atmosphere inside the prison hall turned celebratory as inmates welcomed the development with visible emotion, singing and applauding both the Nigerian government and the diplomatic team.
Their representatives pledged that beneficiaries of the transfer programme would conduct themselves responsibly and seize the opportunity for a fresh start.
Analysts say the significance of Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s visit extends beyond the fate of the inmates. It demonstrates a more proactive and humane dimension of Nigeria’s foreign policy, where diplomatic engagement is increasingly measured not only by state-to-state relations but also by the tangible impact on citizens abroad.
As the implementation process begins, the prisoner transfer agreement is expected to strengthen bilateral ties between Nigeria and Ethiopia while offering affected inmates something many had long feared was lost—hope.
For dozens of Nigerians behind Ethiopian prison walls, that hope arrived in person through the visit of their country’s foreign minister and the promise that home may soon be within reach.
