A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, has ordered the Nigerian government to bring home at least 270 Nigerians detained in Kaliti Prison, Ethiopia.
The court’s ruling came in response to a suit filed by Sunday Mmaduagwu, Henry Anyanwu, and Leonard Okafor, who sought the government’s intervention for the release and repatriation of the Nigerians.
In his judgment, Justice Ekwo directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to facilitate the evacuation of the detainees.
The court emphasized that the Ethiopian government had expressed its inability to provide basic welfare, including food, medicine, and firewood, for the imprisoned Nigerians.
The plaintiffs had argued that the Nigerian government should take action in light of Ethiopia’s financial constraints and the detainees’ requests to be brought back to Nigeria.
The legal motion, brought under several provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights law, demanded immediate repatriation of the Nigerians.
The court issued a mandamus order compelling the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NIDCOM to fulfill their duty to ensure the return of the citizens.
In a related development, the Federal Government has revealed plans to address issues affecting Nigerian migrants through a review of the National Migration Policy (NMP).
This initiative aims to reduce the dangers Nigerians face abroad, such as untimely death, mistreatment, and discrimination. According to the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), about 6.1 million Nigerians were displaced as of November 2024, primarily due to factors like flooding and banditry.
Tijani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner for NCFRMI, highlighted that the revised migration policy would focus on minimizing irregular migration and promoting safer, more regulated migration opportunities for Nigerians seeking better prospects abroad.
