President Bola Tinubu has directed a high-level federal delegation to secure the repatriation of nearly 300 Nigerian inmates serving sentences in Ethiopia.

The delegation, which includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), is currently in Addis Ababa to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ethiopian government. The agreement would allow the prisoners to be transferred to Nigeria to complete their sentences in domestic correctional facilities.

The inmates are reportedly held at Kaliti maximum-security prison in Addis Ababa, where concerns have been raised over overcrowding, poor medical care, and deteriorating living conditions. According to official figures cited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than 270 Nigerians are currently incarcerated in Ethiopia, largely on drug-related charges.

The transfer push follows years of diplomatic engagement between both countries over a prisoner exchange agreement. Previous efforts stalled despite Nigerian court orders and repeated appeals from families and advocacy groups. Ethiopia has previously indicated that ratification delays were a key obstacle to implementing the agreement.

Reports also indicate that several Nigerian inmates have died in custody over the years due to illness and alleged neglect, intensifying pressure on authorities to act. The current move is the first direct intervention ordered by President Tinubu on the matter.