Nigeria, Ethiopia sign deal to transfer over 100 jailed Nigerians back home
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu visited Aba Samuel Prison in Ethiopia on Thursday, June 11, 2026, to deliver President Bola Tinubu’s assurance that Nigeria has not deserted its nationals jailed there. During the visit, she announced the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement signed a day earlier, on June 10, between Nigeria and Ethiopia.
The deal allows about 100 Nigerians serving jail terms in Ethiopia—mainly held at Aba Samuel and Kaliti Prisons—to be transferred back to Nigeria to complete their sentences. Ethiopian authorities say around 98 inmates qualify, two of them women, provided they have at least one year left on their term and give consent. The minister noted that at least four Nigerian inmates died while negotiations, judicial vetting, and the agreement were being finalised.
The agreement was signed by Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for Nigeria and Hanna Arayaselassie for Ethiopia. Aminu Yusuf, Assistant Controller General (Operations) of the Nigerian Correctional Service, said the service is ready to receive the transferred inmates at Kuje Correctional Centre and relocate them closer to families. Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu warned the deal is not "a licence for impunity" and urged inmates to cooperate with prison authorities to complete the required documentation for return.
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