Nigeria and Ethiopia agree to exchange prisoners and will begin the process of sending back prisoners

Nigeria and Ethiopia sign a deal allowing convicted individuals to serve their prison sentences in their home countries.

Lateef Fagbemi, who is Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, and Hanna Arayaselassie, who is Ethiopia’s Justice Minister, signed the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement on Thursday in Addis Ababa. Top officials from both countries were there.

The political breakthrough was made possible by Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who is the foreign minister of Nigeria, and Gideon Timothewos, who is the foreign minister of Ethiopia.

Under the deal, people who were convicted in either country can be sent back to their home country to finish their sentences, as long as they obey the law and agree to the terms.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu stated at the signing event that the accord demonstrated both countries’ commitment to justice, humanity, and collaboration with other nations.

She said that the arrangement takes into account how important family support, language, culture, and social ties are for helping offenders get better and get back into society.

She said that modern prisons and jails should do more than just punish people; they should also give them chances to change and eventually rejoin society.

She said, “For Nigeria, the welfare and protection of Nigerian citizens abroad remain a cardinal responsibility of the government. This is especially true now that citizen-centered diplomacy is a key part of our foreign policy.”

But the minister told Nigerians who live outside of Nigeria to follow the rules of the countries where they live and act in ways that make the country look appealing.

She said criminals should be treated with respect and given their rights, but they should also face the consequences of their actions.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the agreement showed that both countries were determined to improve consular ties and make the criminal justice system more humane.

She also said that the pact showed that trade, business, aviation, security, managing migration, and efforts to promote peace in the region were all areas where Nigeria and Ethiopia were working together more closely.

The minister praised the work of the officials, lawyers, and technical teams from both countries, whose hard work led to a happy end to the talks.

In a heartbreaking statement, she said that four Nigerian prisoners had died in Ethiopian custody while talks, legal reviews, and the approval process were still going on.

There are more than 100 Nigerians in prisons in Ethiopia right now, including four women. She stressed how important it was to quickly carry out the deal.

“We cannot afford to waste any more precious lives.” ” We are determined to bring the living home,” she said.

The minister is planning to visit the Kaliti and Aba Samuel jails as part of her official trip. These are two prisons that hold many Nigerian prisoners.

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Timothewos said that the deal was another important step in the two countries’ relationship, which has been going on for more than 60 years.

He asked Nigeria and Ethiopia to keep talking and working together on problems that were important to both countries. He stressed the need to strengthen cooperation between the two countries for their and Africa’s benefit.

The agreement should make it possible for eligible prisoners to be moved between the two countries. It will also improve court and government cooperation and address foreign prisoners’ welfare.