The Federal Government has received five Nigerian citizens rescued from detention in Côte d’Ivoire after spending about 10 months in prison without trial, while announcing plans to seek compensation from the Ivorian authorities over the death of one of the detainees.
Receiving the returnees at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, described the case as a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by Nigerians undertaking risky journeys abroad in search of better opportunities.
The returnees—Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello and Lyman Mohammed were rescued following sustained diplomatic efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan.
A sixth member of the group, Usama Murtala, died on June 24, 2026, after falling ill shortly after his release from MACA Prison in Abidjan. He was buried in Côte d’Ivoire in accordance with Islamic rites after consultations with his family in Sokoto State.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who received the returnees alongside the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the six young men had travelled by road from Sokoto to Abidjan for business in August 2025 before they were arrested and detained without charge or trial.
According to the minister, the Federal Government only became aware of their detention in April 2026, after which urgent diplomatic engagements with the Nigerian Mission in Abidjan secured their release.
“There was no charge sheet. There was no trial. They were simply detained and taken to prison,” she said, attributing part of their ordeal to language barriers that prevented them from communicating effectively or obtaining legal representation in the French-speaking country.
She said the government would pursue the matter with the Ivorian authorities and seek compensation over Murtala’s death.
The minister also cautioned Nigerians against embarking on irregular migration, noting that many citizens imprisoned abroad often become victims of unfamiliar legal systems and difficult circumstances.
She explained that the intervention reflected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Citizen Diplomacy initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritised the welfare and protection of Nigerians wherever they may be.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu appealed to the Sokoto State Government to support the returnees through rehabilitation and skills acquisition programmes, disclosing that the Federal Government had formally written to the state to facilitate their reintegration after the trauma they experienced.
Speaking on behalf of the returnees, Aliyu Malami recounted that the group travelled to Côte d’Ivoire for business but ended up spending months in detention under harsh conditions because they could not communicate with the authorities due to the language barrier.
He thanked the Federal Government for securing their freedom and pledged to rebuild his life through legitimate business.
The returnees also received relief packages from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies before departing Abuja for reunion with their families in Sokoto State.
