The Federal Government has received five Nigerians who were released from detention at MACA Prison in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, following months of diplomatic efforts to secure their freedom.
The returnees were welcomed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, alongside the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, and other government officials.
According to a statement by the minister’s Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, the returnees are Malam Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, Lyman Mohammed and Aliyu Malami. A sixth detainee, Usama Murtala, died shortly after regaining his freedom.
The ministry said the group travelled by road from Sokoto to Abidjan for trading in August 2025 but was arrested and detained without charge or trial. Nigerian authorities only became aware of their situation in April 2026, prompting the ministry to direct the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan to intervene. Sustained diplomatic engagements eventually secured their release.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the men’s prolonged detention was worsened by language barriers, noting they were unable to communicate effectively or obtain legal representation in the French-speaking country.
“There was no charge sheet. There was no trial. They were simply detained and taken to prison,” the minister said, adding that “they could not speak English in an environment where French was spoken. They never really stood a chance.”
The ministry said Usama Murtala became seriously ill due to harsh prison conditions and inadequate medical care. He died on June 24, a day after the group’s release, and was buried in Côte d’Ivoire in accordance with Islamic rites after consultations with his family.
The minister described his death as a tragic reminder of the dangers associated with irregular migration and disclosed that the Federal Government would seek compensation from the Ivorian authorities. She also urged Nigerians to avoid risky journeys abroad in search of better opportunities.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu appealed to the Sokoto State Government to support the returnees through rehabilitation, skills acquisition and empowerment programmes. She said the Federal Government had already requested such assistance as part of efforts to help them rebuild their lives.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Aliyu Malami thanked the Nigerian government for securing their release, saying they endured months of hardship in detention after travelling to Côte d’Ivoire for business. The returnees were later presented with support packages from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies before departing to reunite with their families in Sokoto.
