Nigerian Inmate D!es in Ethiopian Pris0n Amid Allegations of Medical Neglect

A Nigerian national, Dennis Smith Okoro, has died at Kaliti Prison, a maximum-security facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Okoro, a native of Abia State, was reportedly among approximately 300 Nigerian inmates held at the prison. His death occurred this week, months after concerns were raised over his deteriorating health.

According to fellow Nigerian inmates, Okoro suffered from a kidney-related condition that developed during his incarceration but did not receive adequate medical attention. They alleged that funds were raised and handed over to prison authorities to facilitate his treatment, yet he was never taken to the hospital.

The inmates also claimed that efforts to reach the Nigerian Embassy in Ethiopia regarding his health condition did not elicit a timely response. At the time of this report, his body remains at the facility, with no official communication from Nigerian authorities.

Okoro’s death adds to a pattern of reported fatalities involving Nigerian inmates at the same prison. In 2023, two Nigerians Chizoba Eze and Uchenna Nwanneneme died under controversial circumstances there. In 2025, another inmate, Basil Ilobi Lawrence from Delta State, also died while in custody.