Nigerian inmates at AbaSamuel Prisons in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, have expressed excitement following the signing of a bilateral Prisoner Transfer Agreement between Nigeria and Ethiopia.
The agreement, facilitated by the Federal Government through the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, will allow eligible Nigerian prisoners serving sentences in Ethiopia to be transferred home to complete their custodial terms.
The prisoners celebrated the development, which paves the way for their eventual repatriation to Nigeria to serve the remainder of their sentences closer to home.
The inmates, who welcomed the development, thanked President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government for prioritising the welfare of Nigerians abroad.
Reacting to the development in a post on X on Saturday, Ojukwu described the atmosphere among the inmates as one of excitement and renewed hope.
“The atmosphere was absolutely electric. Our incarcerated nationals were ecstatic! Happiness Renewed; Hope Renewed,” she wrote.
She added that the prisoners expressed joy at the prospect of returning to Nigeria to serve the remainder of their sentences following the landmark agreement signed between the governments of Nigeria and Ethiopia.
“Pure unaltered joy at the prospects of returning to their homeland for conclusion of custodial terms, courtesy of the landmark Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons we have just signed with the Government of Ethiopia,” she stated.
Ojukwu further stressed that the welfare of Nigerians living abroad remains a key priority of the current administration.
“The welfare of our citizens abroad, regardless of where they may be, is of paramount importance under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” she added.
The agreement is expected to facilitate the transfer of convicted persons between both countries, enabling them to serve their sentences closer to their families and support networks.