Prisoner Swap Controversy: FG Reveals Details, Debunks Ethiopia Inmate Claims

The Federal Government has provided further clarification on the recently signed Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement with Ethiopia, describing it as a humanitarian and diplomatic initiative aimed at allowing convicted Nigerians serving prison terms in the East African nation to complete their sentences back home.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking on Thursday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, dismissed a viral list claiming that 136 Nigerians were being held in Ethiopian prisons. She explained that the agreement covers only 98 Nigerian inmates currently detained in two Ethiopian correctional facilities.

The minister also rejected several claims circulating online regarding the prisoners and the offences attributed to them, describing some of the reports as inaccurate and misleading.

According to her, the Federal Government had spent several years working to secure the transfer arrangement, but progress was delayed due to challenges in obtaining accurate records of Nigerians incarcerated in Ethiopia.

She explained that the affected inmates are being held in Kaliti and Aba Samuel prisons, both maximum-security facilities, and that the agreement allows convicted persons to serve the remainder of their jail terms in their country of origin.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said many of the inmates had repeatedly appealed to return to Nigeria due to difficult living conditions, health concerns, limited access to medical care, poor feeding arrangements, restrictions on family visits, inadequate legal assistance, and language barriers.

She noted that the government considered it necessary to accelerate efforts to finalise the agreement in view of the challenges faced by the prisoners.

The minister further revealed that four Nigerian inmates died while negotiations between both countries were ongoing, describing the situation as deeply concerning.

Reflecting on visits to the prisons, she said many of the incarcerated Nigerians were young and vulnerable individuals who may have fallen victim to criminal syndicates after being lured by false promises and misinformation.

Addressing concerns that the transferred inmates could be released upon their return to Nigeria, Odumegwu-Ojukwu clarified that the agreement contains safeguards preventing such action.

She explained that one of the key provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding prohibits the granting of pardon, amnesty, or any form of sentence reduction without the consent of the sentencing country.

The minister also dismissed allegations that the inmates involved in the transfer arrangement were drawn from a particular region of Nigeria, stressing that criminal activity is not defined by ethnicity or geographical origin.

She reiterated that the list circulating online was fabricated and maintained that only 98 inmates from Kaliti and Aba Samuel prisons are covered by the agreement.

According to her, the prisoners come from different parts of the country, including the Southeast, Southwest, and South-South regions, adding that regardless of their background, they remain Nigerian citizens deserving of consular support and humane treatment.