Tinubu Moves to Bring Home 300 Nigerians Jailed in Ethiopia After Inmates Die in Custody

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered urgent diplomatic action aimed at securing the return of hundreds of Nigerians currently serving prison sentences in Ethiopia, following growing concerns over their welfare and reports that several inmates have died while in custody.

The move is expected to pave the way for the transfer of nearly 300 Nigerian prisoners from Ethiopian correctional facilities to Nigeria, where they would complete the remainder of their jail terms under an international prisoner-transfer arrangement.

To facilitate the process, a high-powered Nigerian delegation comprising senior government officials is set to travel to Addis Ababa to finalise negotiations with Ethiopian authorities. Members of the delegation include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

Sources within the Presidency disclosed that Tinubu directed the officials to expedite discussions and conclude a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ethiopian government that would provide the legal framework for transferring the inmates to Nigeria.

The intervention comes amid mounting concerns over the conditions faced by Nigerian prisoners at Ethiopia’s Kaliti Prison, where many of the inmates are reportedly serving lengthy sentences for drug-related offences.

Government sources indicated that reports of deteriorating living conditions, inadequate healthcare services, and overcrowding within the prison facility played a major role in prompting the President’s decision.

According to available estimates, close to 300 Nigerians are currently incarcerated in Ethiopian prisons, with a significant number convicted for offences linked to narcotics trafficking. However, families, advocacy groups, and legal rights organisations have repeatedly expressed concerns over the treatment of the inmates, citing poor feeding conditions, limited access to medical attention, and overcrowded detention facilities.

The issue has remained a sensitive diplomatic matter between Nigeria and Ethiopia for years, attracting growing attention from civil society groups and concerned relatives.

Calls for government intervention intensified after reports emerged that several Nigerian inmates had died while serving their sentences. The deaths sparked renewed appeals for authorities to activate an inmate-transfer agreement that would allow the prisoners to complete their sentences closer to home.

Families of the affected inmates have argued that relocation to Nigeria would improve access to healthcare, family support, and rehabilitation opportunities.

The matter also attracted judicial attention after a Federal High Court in Abuja reportedly directed relevant government agencies to take steps toward facilitating the inmates’ return, citing humanitarian concerns surrounding their continued detention abroad.

Prior to Tinubu’s latest directive, Nigerian and Ethiopian officials had engaged in multiple rounds of discussions over the proposed transfer arrangement. Nigerian authorities maintained that necessary domestic procedures had largely been completed and that the process was awaiting final approvals from the Ethiopian government.

Diplomatic engagements reportedly continued throughout 2025, with both countries expressing willingness to reach a mutually acceptable agreement.

Observers say the President’s latest intervention represents the most decisive effort yet to resolve the long-running issue and bring closure to concerns raised by families and advocacy groups.

If successfully concluded, the agreement would enable the affected prisoners to serve the remainder of their sentences in Nigerian correctional facilities while remaining subject to the terms of their original convictions.

Such prisoner-transfer arrangements are widely recognised under international law and are commonly used by countries seeking to promote rehabilitation, maintain family ties, and improve the welfare of convicted citizens serving sentences abroad.

Many of the Nigerians currently detained in Ethiopia were reportedly arrested while transiting through Addis Ababa’s international airport, one of Africa’s busiest aviation hubs. Although several were convicted on drug-trafficking charges, some advocacy groups continue to argue that certain individuals may have unknowingly been used as drug couriers and deserve further review of their cases.

The outcome of the planned negotiations in Addis Ababa is expected to determine when and how the transfer process will begin, offering hope to many inmates and their families who have long awaited a resolution to the issue.