Reactions trail maltreatment of 250 Nigerians in Ethiopian prisons

When a video featuring Dr. Paul Ezike shedding light on the plight of certain Nigerians imprisoned in Ethiopia’s Kaliti Prisons, Addis Ababa, recently circulated across social media platforms, it served as a stark reminder of the challenges Nigerians have faced in overseas prisons, notably in Asian countries and Libya over the past few years.

In the past, troubling reports emerged about the harsh treatment of Nigerians detained in Guangdong Prisons in China, with allegations of secret killings and organ harvesting for profit. This harsh situation is not limited to Guangdong but extends to other Chinese prisons, including those in Beijing. Similarly, the conditions for Nigerian prison inmates in other Asian nations such as Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia are equally grim.

There have been distressing accounts of Nigerian migrants trying to reach Europe via Libya and ending up in Libyan prisons. Therefore, when Dr. Ezike’s video surfaced, it raised concerns, given that this time it involved a fellow African nation.

Dr. Ezike expressed apprehension that more than 250 Nigerians were on the brink of losing their lives if swift action was not taken by the Nigerian government or other intervention agencies. He alleged that most of these inmates were innocent travelers, who had only transited through the Ethiopia airport.

Reports suggest that many of these Nigerians have not committed any criminal offense. Their only ‘offense’ is being Nigerian, as Dr. Ezike underscored in his video, stating, “Once you have a green passport, you are like a suspect. They will detain you, cause delays, and make you miss your flight. They will provoke you, and when you react and argue, they will demand $5,000 to book another flight back to your home country. If you protest, they will take you straight to the hospital, and when they find no medical issues, they will transfer you to prison, handing you a notice of 18 to 20 years of imprisonment without a trial.”

Earlier this year, two Nigerians, Ms. Favour Chizoba and Mr. Joachim Uchenna Nwanneneme, died under questionable circumstances in the same Kaliti Prison. Many believed their deaths resulted from torture due to their Nigerian nationality.

While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed Dr. Ezike’s account as exaggerated, both the Senate and the House of Representatives have taken the matter seriously. The Senate has tasked its Committees on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs to investigate the situation in Ethiopian prisons, while the House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Chairman of Nigeria in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, to provide more insight into this disconcerting situation.

In reaction to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement, the Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon, raised concerns about the wellbeing of over 250 Nigerians facing maltreatment in Ethiopia without any apparent legal justification. Despite the Ministry’s denial, some Nigerians have taken to social media to implore the federal government to intervene and address the alleged unlawful imprisonment of Nigerians by the Ethiopian government.

During the Senate’s deliberations, Mwadkwon emphasized that the video evidence presented a disturbing situation, contrary to the principles of international law, which both Nigeria and Ethiopia have committed to uphold. He emphasized the need for an urgent intervention and a thorough investigation.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, expressed his condemnation of the discrimination faced by Nigerians in other countries and called on the relevant authorities to prioritize the welfare of Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Likewise, the House of Representatives, in response to a motion by the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, summoned the foreign affairs minister and the NIDCOM boss to appear before the committees on Foreign Affairs, Diaspora, and Human Rights for a comprehensive investigation.

While the Nigerian legislative bodies have intervened, there is a growing call for the government to employ diplomatic means to ensure the release of innocent Nigerians imprisoned in Ethiopia or facilitate their return to Nigeria for those who have committed crimes. Migration, whether regular or irregular, is not a crime, and any charges against these individuals should be assessed and resolved in accordance with international legal standards.