ABUJA, Nigeria — Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has received five Nigerians rescued from a Côte d’Ivoire Prison, revealing that one of the detainees died shortly after regaining his freedom and has since been buried in the West African country.
The five returnees were received on Tuesday evening at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport alongside the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, and other government officials.
Their return followed diplomatic efforts by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which secured their release from a Côte d’Ivoire Prison, where they had reportedly been held without charge or trial since August 2025.
According to a statement by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, the six Nigerians had travelled by road from Sokoto State to Abidjan for business when they were arrested by Ivorian authorities.
Those affected were identified as Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, Lyman Mohammed and Usama Murtala.
The statement said the Federal Government only became aware of their detention in April 2026, prompting Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu to direct the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan to intervene.
Following sustained diplomatic engagements, the detainees were released. However, one of them, Usama Murtala, who had fallen seriously ill while in the Côte d’Ivoire Prison, died on June 24, 2026, a day after his release.
He was buried in Côte d’Ivoire in accordance with Islamic rites after consultation with his family.
Speaking during the reception, the minister said the detainees were never formally charged or tried. She added that language barriers prevented them from communicating effectively or accessing legal representation in the French-speaking country.
She described Usama’s death as a painful reminder of the dangers faced by Nigerians who embark on irregular migration and announced that the Federal Government would pursue compensation from the Ivorian authorities.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also warned Nigerians against risky migration routes in search of opportunities abroad. She noted that many citizens imprisoned overseas are vulnerable young people caught in unfamiliar legal systems.
The minister appealed to the Sokoto State Government to rehabilitate the five returnees through skills acquisition and reintegration programmes.
She disclosed that the Federal Government had already written to the state government seeking support to help the young men rebuild their lives after months of detention and hardship.
One of the returnees, Aliyu Malami, said he travelled to Côte d’Ivoire for business but ended up spending several months in detention under difficult conditions.
He thanked the Federal Government for securing their release and expressed his determination to rebuild his life through legitimate business.
Before their departure to reunite with their families in Sokoto, the returnees received support packages from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency, and other government agencies.
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