Five young Nigerians who were detained in MACA Prison, Abidjan, Côte D’Ivoire since August last year, and recently rescued by the Federal Government have returned to the country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu alongside Director General of National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu and other government officials, received the returnees at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Tuesday evening.
Six of them; Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, Lyman Mohammed and Usama Murtala, had gone on a trading trip from Sokoto to Abidjan by road, were arrested; incarcerated without charge or trial before the federal government’s intervention.
When their unfortunate circumstance was brought to the minister in April this year, she had quickly contacted the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan.
However, sustained engagements by the Nigerian Mission, and diplomatic interventions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, culminated in securing their release.
But, following the precarious conditions in the prison, one of the detainees, Usama Murtala became ill, and with poor medical attention, his health worsened over time.
Usama was unlucky as he died in a Critical Care Hospital on June 24, 2026, a day after they were released by the Ivorien authorities.
He was buried the next day according to Islamic rites after consultation with his family in Sokoto.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that the Nigerian authorities were not informed of their detention, which delayed diplomatic intervention.
She attributed their ordeal partly to language barriers, saying the detainees were unable to communicate effectively or access legal representation in the French-speaking country.
She warned Nigerians against making such risky journeys in search of opportunities abroad, noting that many Nigerians imprisoned overseas were intercepted while transiting through foreign countries.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasized that the Federal Government’s intervention was in line with the Citizen Diplomacy initiative of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes the welfare and protection of Nigerians wherever they may be.
The minister, then, appealed to the Sokoto State Government to provide rehabilitation and skill acquisition opportunities for the five youths.
She handed them a package from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relief items from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other agencies.
They are expected to reunite with their families in Sokoto on Wednesday.
