Nigerian inmates at AbaSamuel Prisons in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, have expressed excitement following the signing of a bilateral Prisoner Transfer Agreement between Nigeria and Ethiopia.
The agreement, facilitated by the Federal Government through the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, will allow eligible Nigerian prisoners serving sentences in Ethiopia to be transferred home to complete their custodial terms.
The prisoners celebrated the development, which paves the way for their eventual repatriation to Nigeria to serve the remainder of their sentences closer to home.
The inmates, who welcomed the development, thanked President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government for prioritising the welfare of Nigerians abroad.
Reacting to the development in a post on X on Saturday, Ojukwu described the atmosphere among the inmates as one of excitement and renewed hope.
“The atmosphere was absolutely electric. Our incarcerated nationals were ecstatic! Happiness Renewed; Hope Renewed,” she wrote.
She added that the prisoners expressed joy at the prospect of returning to Nigeria to serve the remainder of their sentences following the landmark agreement signed between the governments of Nigeria and Ethiopia.
“Pure unaltered joy at the prospects of returning to their homeland for conclusion of custodial terms, courtesy of the landmark Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons we have just signed with the Government of Ethiopia,” she stated.
Ojukwu further stressed that the welfare of Nigerians living abroad remains a key priority of the current administration.
“The welfare of our citizens abroad, regardless of where they may be, is of paramount importance under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” she added.
The agreement is expected to facilitate the transfer of convicted persons between both countries, enabling them to serve their sentences closer to their families and support networks.
Watch the video below:
𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥, 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐛𝐮
Credit: X | Ojukwu_Bianca
—
Follow us for more breaking news and videos pic.twitter.com/5kePdDicz9— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) June 13, 2026
Hannah Johnson is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over three years of professional experience in reporting, storytelling, and digital content creation. She blends traditional reporting skills with a modern, digital-first approach to journalism, producing content tailored for both web and social platforms. Hannah is skilled at turning complex topics into clear, engaging, and relatable stories that resonate with a wide audience. Her work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a strong commitment to accurate, audience-focused journalism.