Five Nigerians Rescued from Côte d’Ivoire Prison Arrive Abuja

Five Nigerians rescued from detention at MACA Prison in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, have arrived in Abuja following months of diplomatic efforts by the Federal Government.

The returnees were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, alongside the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, and other government officials.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the minister’s Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, the group comprised Malam Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, Lyman Mohammed and Aliyu Malami.

The statement revealed that six Nigerians were initially released, but one of them, Usama Murtala, died shortly after regaining freedom.

The six young men reportedly travelled by road from Sokoto to Abidjan in August 2025 for trading activities before they were arrested and detained without formal charges or trial.

The Federal Government only became aware of their detention in April 2026, prompting Odumegwu-Ojukwu to direct the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan to intervene immediately.

Following sustained diplomatic engagements between the embassy and Ivorian authorities, the detainees were eventually released.

However, Murtala, who reportedly became seriously ill due to harsh prison conditions and inadequate medical care, died in a hospital on June 24, 2026, one day after his release. He was buried in Côte d’Ivoire according to Islamic rites after consultations with his family.

Speaking during the reception, the minister described the detention as unlawful, noting that the victims were neither charged nor tried.

She attributed part of their ordeal to language barriers, saying they were unable to communicate effectively or access legal representation in the French-speaking country.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that the Federal Government would seek compensation from the Ivorian authorities over Murtala’s death.

She also urged Nigerians to avoid risky migration in search of opportunities abroad, warning that many citizens end up trapped in unfamiliar legal systems.

The minister appealed to the Sokoto State Government to support the returnees through rehabilitation and skills acquisition programmes to help them rebuild their lives after months of traumatic detention.