The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odinakachukwu Olivia Odumegwu-Ojukwu, was in Ethiopia to facilitate the prisoners swap agreement between Nigeria and Ethiopia.
At the AbaSamuel Prisons in Ethiopia, Nigerian inmates were full of joy seeing the Foreign Affairs Minister in their mist.
In the diplomatic agreement, Nigeria and the Government of Ethiopia will transfer sentenced prisoners back home to serve out their terms in the home country.
The agreement gives the prisoners the opportunity to return home, and end languishing in prison cells.
The minister assured the inmates in Ethiopia that Nigeria will not abandon them, adding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was aware they were in Ethiopian prisons.
The minister acquainted the inmates that Nigeria signed a bilateral Prisoner Transfer Agreement with the Government of Ethiopia.
She pointed out that the Agreement is rooted in the principles of humanity, justice and cooperation between our two nations.
Bianca declared:
“Your Country will not desert you…Your President knows you are here.”
“I wish, on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for whom the welfare and protection of Nigerian citizens abroad remains a priority, to convey our sincere appreciation to the Government and People of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
“While we continue to encourage our citizens living and traveling abroad to respect the laws of their host countries, and uphold the good name of our nation, we also remain committed to ensuring that those who find themselves in conflict with the law will not be totally abandoned to their fate but accorded their rights under applicable legal frameworks.”
