By Ebi Kesiena
Every year, thousands of Nigerians leave home in pursuit of better opportunities abroad. While many succeed, others find themselves caught up by harsh realities ranging from immigration violations and human trafficking, to drug-related offences, and other crimes that ultimately land them behind bars in foreign countries.
For many of these inmates, life in overseas prisons is marked by isolation, poor living conditions and uncertainty, with families back home often unable to reach or support them.
Despite the distance, the Nigerian government says it has continued to monitor the welfare of its citizens abroad, particularly those requiring consular intervention. From evacuating stranded nationals during crises, as recently witnessed in South Africa amid xenophobic attacks, to negotiating prisoner transfer agreements, Abuja insists it will not abandon Nigerians in distress.
Against this backdrop, Heritage Times spoke exclusively with the spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who revealed that the Federal Government is stepping up efforts to implement agreements that will allow Nigerians convicted abroad to return home and serve the remainder of their prison terms in Nigeria.
He also painted a grim picture of prison conditions in Ethiopia, where more than 200 Nigerians are believed to be incarcerated.
Ebienfa noted that the government is working to implement prisoner transfer agreements that will allow Nigerians convicted in foreign countries to return home and complete their jail terms in Nigeria.
His disclosure comes on the heels of the Federal Government’s recent evacuation of hundreds of Nigerians from South Africa following xenophobic attacks, reaffirming the FG’s renewed efforts to protect the welfare of its citizens overseas.
Ebienfa explained that although the ministry does not publicly disclose the number of Nigerians incarcerated in foreign prisons, officials are actively engaging host governments to improve the welfare of affected citizens and facilitate their eventual repatriation where bilateral agreements exist.
According to him, the Ministry’s Consular Division maintains records of Nigerians in detention across different jurisdictions, but such information is handled with discretion.
“The consular have the data and figures of Nigerians imprisoned in their respective countries, it is not something of pride”
The spokesperson affirmed that Ethiopia remains one of the countries of significant concern, with more than 200 Nigerians believed to be imprisoned there under extremely harsh conditions.
“The case in Ethiopia is that the living condition of the prisons is very terrible.”
“Most of the prisons are just open spaces which are like a yard. So if you really know someone there, just imagine that they are exposed to nature.”
He noted that Nigeria has already signed a prisoner transfer agreement with Ethiopia, under which convicted Nigerians will be returned home to serve the remainder of their prison terms.
“We signed a prisoner agreement with the commitment that we will bring them home for them to serve out their prison terms in Nigeria. It is not that we will bring them home and free them. They will complete their sentences in Nigeria.”
Ebienfa, however, explained that although the agreement has been concluded, implementation is yet to commence because both countries are still finalising the operational processes required for the transfer.
He further disclosed that the Federal Government is extending similar consular interventions to Nigerians in prisons in countries such as Kuwait and Cambodia.
According to him, the ministry has continued to monitor developments involving Nigerians facing immigration-related offences, including visa overstays, while engaging foreign authorities to ensure affected citizens receive fair treatment.
He recalled a recent case involving a stranded Nigerian in Cambodia who appealed for assistance through the media after benefiting from a government amnesty for immigration offenders.
Ebienfa explained that following the public appeal, Lagos-based philanthropist Mr. Ken Etete eventually sponsored the individual’s flight back to Nigeria after intervention efforts involving government officials and other stakeholders.
“The ministry is actually following up Nigerians in foreign prisons, and we will not leave them to languish abroad,” he said.
