The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has formally welcomed the recently concluded bilateral Nigeria Ethiopia prisoner transfer agreement. While describing the cross-border legal framework as a refreshing, highly necessary humanitarian intervention that upholds the fundamental dignity of Nigerians abroad, the opposition leader balanced his commendation with a somber reflection on the operational delays that plagued the diplomatic process.
The milestone accord, signed in Addis Ababa by Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), alongside Ethiopia’s Minister of Justice, Hanna Arayaselassie, establishes a formal pathway to repatriate over 100 Nigerian nationals currently serving various custodial sentences in East African correctional facilities.
However, the triumph of the diplomatic breakthrough has been clouded by the official disclosure that at least four Nigerian inmates lost their lives in foreign custody while the bureaucratic and judicial negotiations were being finalized.
High praise for Diplomatic Stakeholders Amid Tragedy
In a public statement, Peter Obi commended the coordinated efforts of the Federal Government’s delegation, singling out the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi for pushing the protracted negotiations across the finish line. He maintained that every Nigerian, irrespective of their legal standing or geographic location, retains an unalienable right to state protection and basic human dignity.
Despite his praise for the current administration’s citizen-centered diplomacy, Obi expressed profound heartbreak regarding the four citizens who died before experiencing freedom.
Statement from Peter Obi on the Diplomatic Milestone:
“I sincerely commend the governments of Nigeria and Ethiopia for concluding this vital agreement. It is, however, deeply painful and unfortunate that four of our citizens died in custody while these administrative and legal processes dragged on. This tragic loss underscores the immense human cost of prolonged diplomatic delays, and my heart goes out to the grieving families left behind.”
Addressing the Root Causes: The “Japa” Syndrome and Mass Emigration
Reports compiled by Vanguard Newspaper national news correspondents indicate that a significant percentage of the affected Nigerian inmates were young citizens intercepted by security agencies while transiting through Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport. While emphasizing that Nigerians traveling abroad must strictly respect and obey the sovereign laws of their host nations, Obi used the opportunity to challenge national leaders to look inward.
The former Anambra State governor argued that the predicament of these jailed youths highlights a systemic failure within Nigeria’s domestic economy. He noted that acute socio-economic hardship, failing educational infrastructure, and a lack of viable job markets are actively driving the country’s vibrant young population to undertake extreme risks abroad.
