A socio-political organisation, Take Back Nigeria Initiative (TBNI), has given a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to evacuate Nigerian citizens held in various prisons in Kaliti, Ethiopia, back to Nigeria.

This was contained in a communiqué by the National Coordinator, Abumchukwu Okoye, and the Secretary, Azubuike Aloysius, at a press conference in Lagos.

He said the information available to TBNI showed that Ethiopia has requested the Nigerian Embassy in Addis Ababa to evacuate Nigerians in its prison as it does not have the financial strength to take care of them.

The group has since made the information available to the relevant government agencies responsible for diaspora affairs.

TBNI frowned at the inhuman treatments being meted to Nigerian prisoners in that country. They include the violation of the African Charter on human and people’s rights and other international conventions as it relates to their rights to food, medicare, firewood and torture, which has resulted to numerous deaths of Nigerians.

Okoye said the call on the Federal Government to act immediately was a response to the outcry of the affected prisoners.

He said TBNI has evidence that showed international treaties and conventions on prisoners rights have being violated to the knowledge of the Nigerian authorities and warned that any disregard to the 14-day ultimatum will be at the peril of the Federal Government.

Okoye disclosed the Nigerian prisoners taken to hospital were not given drugs because they were asked to pay the bill even as they don’t have the money.

“They also complained of a strange sickness that has infested the prison,” he said.

He further explained that, based on the situation, solicitors to Nigerians in Kaliti and other prisons in Ethiopia have, on behalf of the prisoners, written to all the agencies and commissions concerned with diaspora affairs in Nigeria to demand immediate action to ensure the affected citizens are brought back to Nigeria.

The group alleged that the relevant government agencies and commission though notified through writing, of the predicament some Nigerians are facing in Ethiopian prisons, choose to look the other way but continue to receive budgetary allocations.

Okoye also said information available showed that 80 per cent of Nigerians detained in Ethiopia did not commit any offence.

He said they were arrested in the streets after they have been dispossessed of their cash and valuables. (Daily Sun)

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