The Federal Government has secured the release and return of five Nigerians who were detained without trial in Côte d’Ivoire, while pledging to seek compensation from the Ivorian authorities over the death of another detainee shortly after his release.
The returnees were received on Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, alongside the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, and other government officials.
A statement issued by the minister’s Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, identified the returnees as Malam Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, Lyman Mohammed and Aliyu Malami. Another member of the group, Usama Murtala, died a day after regaining his freedom.
According to the statement, the six young men travelled by road from Sokoto to Abidjan on a business trip in August 2025 but were arrested and detained without charge or trial.
The Federal Government only became aware of their detention in April 2026, prompting the Minister of Foreign Affairs to direct the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan to intervene. Sustained diplomatic engagements by the embassy and the ministry eventually secured their release.
The ministry disclosed that Murtala became seriously ill as a result of harsh prison conditions and inadequate medical care. He died at a critical care hospital on June 24, 2026, one day after the group was released, and was buried in Côte d’Ivoire in accordance with Islamic rites after consultations with his family in Sokoto.
Speaking during the reception, Odumegwu-Ojukwu lamented that Nigerian authorities were initially unaware of the detainees’ ordeal, delaying diplomatic intervention.
“There was no charge sheet. There was no trial. They were simply detained and taken to prison,” the minister said.
She explained that language barriers significantly worsened the men’s situation, preventing them from communicating effectively with authorities or obtaining legal representation in the French-speaking country.
“They could not speak English in an environment where French was spoken. They never really stood a chance,” she added.
The minister described Murtala’s death as a tragic reminder of the dangers associated with irregular migration and the vulnerability of many young Nigerians seeking better opportunities abroad.
“Many of our prisoners overseas are vulnerable young people who leave home in search of opportunity, caught in a web of judicial or unjust systems they do not fully grasp. Usama’s story remains a painful reminder of how fragile life can be for young people who embark on such journeys without knowing what awaits them. We will be taking up the case with the Ivorian authorities for compensation,” she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu cautioned Nigerians against embarking on risky journeys abroad, noting that many citizens imprisoned overseas were arrested while transiting through foreign countries.
She said the government’s intervention aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Citizen Diplomacy initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises the welfare and protection of Nigerians worldwide.
The minister also appealed to the Sokoto State Government to support the rehabilitation of the returnees through skills acquisition and empowerment programmes to help them rebuild their lives. She disclosed that the Federal Government had formally written to the state government requesting assistance for the five survivors.
Speaking on behalf of the returnees, Aliyu Malami expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for securing their release and facilitating their return home.
He said they had travelled to Côte d’Ivoire for business but were instead subjected to months of detention under difficult conditions, adding that language barriers prevented them from explaining their situation to the authorities.
The returnees were later presented with support packages from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and other government agencies before departing to reunite with their families in Sokoto State.
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