Nigerians Stuck in Ethiopian Prisons as Repatriation Deal Stalls
Dozens of Nigerians remain imprisoned in Ethiopia due to a stalled repatriation agreement, with the Nigerian government blaming Ethiopian authorities for the delay. The crucial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which would allow convicted Nigerians to serve their sentences in Nigeria, has been ready on the Nigerian side but is awaiting ratification by the Ethiopian government. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, confirmed that Nigeria has "fulfilled its own side of the formalities," and the holdup is from "the Ethiopian side." Reports from 2023 indicated over 270 Nigerians were in Ethiopian prisons, mostly for drug offences. Advocacy groups are raising alarms about the "deplorable" conditions, alleging inadequate food, medical neglect, and brutal treatment. Ambassador Onwuka Collins of the My Dreamalive Development Foundation stated that some inmates have already died from illness and the harsh conditions, urging for […]