Peter Obi Hails Nigeria-Ethiopia Prisoner Transfer, Mourns Four Nigerians Who Died in Ethiopian Custody

Peter Obi has praised the completion of a prisoner transfer agreement between Nigeria and Ethiopia that'll bring over 100 Nigerians home. But the former presidential candidate also mourned four Nigerians who died in Ethiopian custody before the deal was signed.

Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), made the remarks in a post on X on Monday. He called the transfer a humanitarian gesture that protects the dignity and rights of Nigerians abroad.

He commended Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi for working with Ethiopian authorities to finalise the process. The Federal Government announced the agreement last week.

But Obi said the deaths of the four Nigerians in custody show the human cost of slow diplomatic and administrative procedures. He expressed sympathy for the families who lost loved ones far from home.

“While we commend this humanitarian intervention, it serves as a reminder of a larger systemic crisis. The overwhelming majority of these citizens are young Nigerians. A significant number were arrested while transiting through Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport in search of green pastures.”

Obi noted that many of the affected Nigerians are young people who left the country looking for better opportunities. He said Nigerians must ask themselves: what drives young, productive citizens into desperate situations abroad?

He argued that creating jobs, improving access to quality education, and building a system that rewards hard work are critical to solving the migration crisis. He also called for proper rehabilitation and reintegration of the returning inmates as they continue serving their sentences in Nigeria.

Obi said the prisoner transfer should serve as a reminder to build a nation that protects, values, and empowers its citizens. He stressed that while Nigerians must respect the laws of host countries, the government must also address the conditions that push people to leave.

The agreement covers more than 100 Nigerians serving jail terms in Ethiopia. The transfer is one of the largest such deals Nigeria has completed with another African country.

The Federal Government hasn't released details of the charges the prisoners faced or how long they'd been in custody. But Obi's comments highlight a growing concern about the number of young Nigerians jailed abroad while seeking better lives.

The prisoner transfer comes as Nigeria continues to struggle with high unemployment and limited opportunities, especially for young people. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that youth unemployment stood at over 40% in 2025, pushing many to seek greener pastures overseas.