By Fortune Abang

The Federal Government on Thursday urged the government of Ethiopia to expedite action towards the signing of the agreement on the exchange of sentenced persons to advance the ties between both countries.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the call at a meeting in Abuja with Amb. Legesse Haile, the Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria.

She expressed the Federal Government’s displeasure over the series of embarrassment and harassment suffered by Nigerians, including those with Official and Diplomatic Passports in Addis Ababa.

According to her, Nigeria has concluded reflection on the Ethiopian observations in the draft MoU on the Exchange of Sentenced Persons between both countries, asking why the signing of the MoU was delayed even when assurances had been given by Ethiopian officials at a meeting held on March 6, 2025.

The minister reiterated concern over the plight of Nigerian inmates in Ethiopia, who she said had been denied access to medical care, among other challenges.

She expressed dismay over the case of a Nigerian who died recently in an Ethiopian prison, stating that as a government deeply committed to the welfare of its citizens, Nigeria would not cherish a repeat of that kind of incident.

“Our people don’t want to hear that another Nigerian inmate died in an Ethiopian prison,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu stated.

She decried delay in returning of monies seized from Nigerian businessmen by Ethiopian government, even after the country’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, had at the 40th Session of the Executive Council of the African Union held in February, 2022, granted amnesty to all African travellers.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu described such travellers as those whose monies were seized at the Bole International Airport, due to non-declaration of the amount over and above three thousand U.S. dollars, as provided by then, Ethiopian law.

Also, that out of the 25 Nigerians whose monies were seized as at the time, only 15 had been approved for refund, due to stringent conditions by the Ethiopian side for the refunds, yet only two persons had actually been refunded.

The minister cited the pathetic case of one Mr Francis Uzoh, whose 70,000 dollars was seized by Ethiopian authorities, amidst meeting all the conditions, Uzoh was yet to be refunded since 2022.

Uzoh, according to her, has consequently become desolate, homeless, abandoned by family, hugely indebted and a shadow of his former self.

The minister, therefore, urged the Ethiopian envoy to press for a last chance to refund Uzoh’s 70,000 dollars, while he is still alive, saying so they don’t use the money to bury him when he has gone.

She stressed visa waiver for holders of Official and Diplomatic Passports was tied to Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) signed between both countries and that, following what Nigerians faced in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was unilaterally withdrawing without notifying Nigeria.

This, according to her, posed great concern because Addis Ababa is a hub and that many Nigerians have adopted Ethiopian Airline as the airline of choice.

She, however, reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Ethiopia, assuring that the 4th Session of Nigeria-Ethiopia Joint Commission would soon hold in Abuja.

Responding, Haile said that the visa waiver agreement was still in place, explaining it needed ratification by the country’s House of Representatives.

According to him, the embassy has issued visas to Nigerians with official and diplomatic passports.

He stated that problems only arise when visa applicants are with the regular passport.

“The issue of Visa on Arrival has neither been withdrawn nor abrogated.

“The Ethiopian government views the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a very strategic partner,” Haile said.

The envoy expressed appreciation to the Nigerian government for the additional seven slots recently approved for the Ethiopian Airline on the Lagos route. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim