Tinubu Orders Return of 300 Nigerians from Ethiopia

President Bola Tinubu has directed an urgent diplomatic initiative to repatriate approximately 300 Nigerians currently serving prison sentences in Ethiopia, particularly at Kaliti Prison in Addis Ababa. This decision follows alarming reports regarding the deteriorating conditions within the prison, including inadequate medical care and overcrowding, which have led to inmate deaths.

A senior Nigerian delegation, including Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, is expected to travel to Ethiopia to finalize a memorandum of understanding that will facilitate the transfer of these inmates back to Nigeria to serve the remainder of their sentences. This intervention is seen as a significant move to address the welfare concerns of Nigerians imprisoned abroad and is part of a broader diplomatic effort to ensure the humane treatment of Nigerian citizens.

The initiative is also in line with international practices regarding the rehabilitation of convicts and maintaining family connections.