A support group, President Tinubu’s Ambassadors (PTA), has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for securing a bilateral prisoner transfer agreement with Ethiopia, describing the development as a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to the welfare and dignity of Nigerians abroad.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, the group’s National Coordinator, Evangelist Nwa-Jesus Onuorah, said the agreement, which will facilitate the repatriation of about 100 Nigerian prisoners from Ethiopia, reflects the President’s compassionate and people-centred approach to governance.
According to the group, the agreement underscores the Federal Government’s resolve to protect the rights and interests of Nigerians regardless of their ethnicity, religion or location.
PTA noted that the last prisoner transfer agreement signed by Nigeria with another country was concluded with the United Kingdom in 2014, describing the latest pact with Ethiopia as a significant diplomatic and humanitarian milestone.
“It is worth recalling that the last prisoner transfer agreement between Nigeria and another sovereign nation was signed in 2014 with the United Kingdom. President Tinubu has therefore demonstrated a strong commitment to the dignity, welfare and rights of Nigerians, regardless of their location,” the statement said.
The group added that the agreement would bring relief to many families, particularly in the South-East, where it said a significant number of the affected prisoners are itinerant traders who have spent years in Ethiopian prisons.
It said the development offers renewed hope for family reunification and the restoration of human dignity, while calling for a review of cases involving Nigerians who may have experienced prolonged incarceration without adequate legal representation.
The group further argued that the agreement demonstrates that the administration is committed to serving all Nigerians without discrimination.
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“He has once again demonstrated that he is the President of all Nigerians,” the statement added.
PTA also commended the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, for her role in facilitating the prisoner transfer arrangement and strengthening diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and Ethiopia.
However, the group urged the minister to engage Ethiopian authorities over alleged cases of harassment, intimidation, extortion and unlawful detention involving Nigerian travellers transiting through Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines.
It called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate the reported incidents and work with Ethiopian authorities to ensure Nigerians are treated with dignity and fairness at all transit points.
According to the group, safeguarding the rights and welfare of Nigerians abroad should remain a key objective of Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements.