ABUJA, Nigeria — The Federal Government has demanded a full investigation and compensation from Côte d’Ivoire following the death of a 24-year-old Nigerian, Usama Murtala, after prolonged detention in Abidjan without trial.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, summoned the Ivorian Ambassador to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, to seek explanations over the circumstances surrounding the detention and death of the young Nigerian.
In a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Dr. Magnus Eze, the government described the incident as deeply troubling and raised concerns over the treatment of Nigerian nationals in Côte d’Ivoire.
Usama Murtala and five other Nigerians — Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello and Liman Mohammed — had travelled from Sokoto to Abidjan on a trading trip in August 2025, but were arrested and detained at MACA Prison without charge or trial.
They were recently released following sustained diplomatic engagements by the Nigerian Mission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but Murtala died during the period of incarceration.
“These young men were simply detained and taken to prison. For these months, they had poor nutrition as they were fed once a day. Two of them were critically ill and one eventually died,” the minister said.
“Nobody could give reasons why they were arrested and detained for so long without trial or charge,” she added.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also questioned why Nigerian authorities were not informed of the detention, noting that the delay hindered timely diplomatic intervention.
She further alleged that the detainees were denied legal representation and faced communication barriers in the French-speaking country.
The minister said the victims’ personal belongings, including phones, goods and money, were not returned upon their release.
“We want you to communicate this to the authorities in Abidjan. This should be properly investigated; it should be probed,” she said.
“So, we seek compensation for the dead young man’s family and a commitment that Côte d’Ivoire will going forward treat our nationals with dignity.”
Responding, Ambassador Traore expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and assured that Nigeria’s concerns would be conveyed to authorities in Abidjan.
The five surviving Nigerians have since returned to Sokoto State, while the government says it will continue to pursue justice and accountability in the case.
