Nigerian prisoners in Ethiopia send SOS to FG

A Nigerian prisoner in Ethiopia’s has contacted Elombah News with a ‘save our soul message’ to the Nigeria federal government to come to their aide.

The prisoner who said he is from Ukpor in Nnewi South LGA informed Elombah News that he and other Nigerians are currently incarcerated at Ethiopia’s Federal Prison in Kaliti.

The prisoner simply identified as Dara (real name withheld upon request) lamented their “plight here in Ethiopia prison because the Nigerian embassy here is not ready to assist us”.

He appealed earnestly that “we plead with you to help draw the attention of our government to our plight here.”

“We are many Nigerians here, We are about 200 plus Nigerians here in Ethiopia prison, majority of us was caught while on transit from Sao Paulo Brazil and accused of drug trafficking, while some were caught with money in their possession traveling to different destinations”.

“The point is that we are being kept in a place that is not even suitable to keep fowls talk less of human beings, without access to good medical care, we are being fed with only white rice on daily basis”.

Asked whether they have explored legal options to be set free the Prisoner said they have been denied fair hearing.

“We do not have the privilege of fair hearing, because of not having access to a good lawyer. But the major problem we are facing here is the nonchalant attitude of Nigerian embassy here in Ethiopia”.

” A few months ago the president of the judges in Ethiopia visited our prison, we complained to her about our plight, she asked us if our Embassy is aware of our population here, that they are ready to cooperate with our Embassy if they make demand for us.

“We wrote to our Embassy and informed them what the woman said, but up till now, nothing have been done by our Embassy.

“The Ethiopian government are willing to release us just as they have released all Kenyans and Sudanese here with the same alleged crime as ours.

“All efforts to make them utilize the opportunity of the new government provided for us to be released proved abortive.

“Many of us here are down with different kinds of sickness as a result of the hostile environment and lack of good medical care.

“We plead that you help us to draw the attention of the government to our plight here”, he concluded.

Elombah News has contacted Abike Dabiri for comments. Abike Dabiri-Erewa is the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian citizens in Diaspora Commission.

Ms Dabiri-Erewa is currently the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora.