Presidential candidate Peter Obi has commended the effort of Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and their Ethiopian counterparts for signing a deal for prisoner exchange.

The deal, which was signed last week, sees Nigeria receive its nationals serving prison sentences in Ethiopia.

Reports have it that over 95% of the Nigerians serving sentences in Ethiopia are Igbos of the Southeast extraction.

Commending the agreement, Obi, in a statement on Tuesday, lamented that it is heartbreaking to learn that at least four Nigerian citizens lost their lives in custody while this diplomatic and administrative process dragged on over the past few years.

"My heart goes out to their families, who had to endure the ultimate pain of losing loved ones in a foreign land.

"While we commend this humanitarian intervention, it serves as a reminder of a larger systemic crisis. The overwhelming majority of these citizens are young Nigerians. A significant number were arrested while transiting through Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport in search of green pastures. While we must continuously urge our citizens to remain law-abiding and respect the laws of host nations wherever they travel or reside, we must also ask ourselves a hard question: What drives our young and productive population into desperate circumstances across the globe?

"Until we build a New Nigeria that offers genuine economic opportunities, a functional educational framework, and an environment where hard work is rewarded, we will continue to grapple with the tragic consequences of mass emigration and its associated vulnerabilities.

"As these citizens are brought home to serve out their terms, our correctional facilities must be properly managed with a focus on genuine rehabilitation and societal reintegration. Let us use this moment not just for short-term relief, but as an urgent call to build a nation that protects, values, and empowers its citizens here at home.

"With the right policies and leadership, a New Nigeria is POssible," he said.