The Federal Government has officially received five Nigerian citizens who were rescued from prolonged detention in Côte d’Ivoire, bringing an emotional end to a diplomatic effort that also ended in tragedy after one member of the group died shortly after regaining his freedom.
The returnees were welcomed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja 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. The five men, identified as Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello and Lyman Mohammed, had travelled from Sokoto to Abidjan in August 2025 on a trading trip before they were arrested and detained at the MACA Prison without formal charges or trial.
According to the Minister, the sixth member of the group, Usama Murtala, became seriously ill while in detention and died on June 24, 2026, just a day after the group secured their release through diplomatic intervention by the Nigerian government. He was buried in Côte d’Ivoire in accordance with Islamic rites after consultations with his family in Sokoto. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs only became aware of the young men’s detention in April 2026, after which the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan immediately engaged the Ivorian authorities. She explained that sustained diplomatic negotiations eventually secured their release, noting that the detainees had never been formally charged or taken to court throughout their incarceration.
The minister also revealed that the detainees faced significant challenges because they could not communicate effectively in French, making it difficult to understand the legal process or access adequate legal representation. She described the incident as a painful reminder of the dangers faced by many young Nigerians who travel abroad in search of better economic opportunities without fully understanding the legal systems of their destination countries.
She announced that the Federal Government would pursue compensation from the Ivorian authorities over the circumstances surrounding the unlawful detention and the death of Usama Murtala. She also urged Nigerians to avoid irregular migration and to ensure they are familiar with the laws of any country they intend to visit or conduct business in.
As part of efforts to help the survivors rebuild their lives, the minister appealed to the Sokoto State Government to provide rehabilitation, skills acquisition and empowerment programmes for the five returnees. She added that the Federal Government had already reached out to the state authorities to facilitate their reintegration into society after the traumatic ordeal.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Aliyu Malami expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for its intervention, describing their release as a miracle after months of hardship in prison. He said what began as a legitimate business trip turned into a nightmare, largely worsened by language barriers and their inability to navigate the Ivorian legal system. The returnees also received relief packages from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies before reuniting with their families in Sokoto.
