The agreement was signed in Addis Ababa by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on behalf of Nigeria, while Ethiopia’s Minister of Justice, Hanna Arayaselassie, signed for her country.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Magnus Eze, both countries also agreed to commence immediate implementation of the pact in accordance with their domestic laws and international obligations.
The agreement is expected to benefit over 100 Nigerian prisoners, including four women, currently incarcerated in Ethiopian correctional facilities.
The statement disclosed that four Nigerian inmates died while negotiations, judicial reviews and ratification processes leading to the agreement were ongoing.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, described the agreement as a significant diplomatic achievement founded on humanitarian principles, justice and international cooperation.
She explained that the framework would allow convicted persons who are nationals of either country to be transferred home to serve the remainder of their sentences, subject to agreed conditions and applicable laws.
“This arrangement recognises the important role that family, language, culture and social support systems play in the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders,” she said.
“It also reflects our shared understanding that correctional systems should not only punish wrongdoing but should equally provide opportunities for rehabilitation, reformation and eventual reintegration into one’s society.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed that the welfare and protection of Nigerians abroad remain a key priority of the Federal Government, particularly under its citizen-centred diplomacy policy.
“We cannot afford to lose any more precious lives. We are determined to bring home the living,” she added.
The minister also urged Nigerians living and travelling abroad to obey the laws of their host countries and conduct themselves in ways that project a positive image of Nigeria.
She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that Nigerians who encounter legal challenges overseas are treated with dignity and accorded their rights under relevant legal frameworks.
According to her, the agreement reflects the commitment of both countries to deepen consular cooperation and promote a more humane approach to the administration of justice.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that Nigeria and Ethiopia continue to strengthen ties in areas such as trade and investment, aviation, security, migration management, regional peace and security, and the promotion of Africa’s collective interests in continental and global institutions.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gideon Timothewos said the longstanding relationship between the two countries, which spans more than six decades, should continue to grow through sustained cooperation and dialogue on issues of mutual interest.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Ambassador Nasir Aminu, as well as officials of the Nigeria Correctional Service and the Ethiopian Federal Prison Commission, attended the signing ceremony.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu is also expected to visit Kaliti and Aba Samuel prisons in Ethiopia as part of efforts to facilitate the implementation of the agreement.
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