As a new humanitarian initiative, the effective conclusion of a prisoner swap agreement between Ethiopia and Nigeria has been praised by Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
Obi thanked Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Ethiopian government for their roles in resolving the lengthy negotiations in a message he shared on his X handle on Tuesday.
He thinks the conversation shows how critical it is to uphold the rights and dignity of all Nigerians, no matter where they are or what they’re going through.
Nevertheless, Obi conveyed his sorrow and offered his condolences to the families of the four Nigerians who reportedly passed away while detained in Ethiopian custody during the negotiations.
He expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of life of at least four Nigerian people who were detained during the lengthy diplomatic and administrative process that had been going on for several years.
A large number of the detained Nigerians were youths apprehended at Bole International Airport in Addis Abeba on their way to other countries in pursuit of better prospects, according to the former governor of Anambra State.
Obi spoke out against the economic hardships that are pushing many young Nigerians to seek opportunities abroad, while also urged his countrymen to respect the rules of the nations they visit.
To reduce the risks of mass emigration, he said, Nigeria must increase economic possibilities, strengthen its educational system, and establish a system where diligence is recognised and rewarded.
Obi emphasised the need of rehabilitation and reintegration into society while calling for efficient administration of correctional facilities when transferred inmates return to Nigeria to serve out their sentences.
A nation that safeguards, values, and empowers its citizens should be built, he argued, and the government should utilise this development as a wake-up call.