Five Nigerians detained for nearly a year at MACA Prison in Abidjan have returned home following intervention by the Federal Government, though their release came too late for a sixth man who died shortly after being freed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the returnees were received at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, alongside Director-General of the National Orientation Agency Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu and other officials. The men, all from Sokoto State, had travelled by road to Abidjan for trading purposes in August 2025 when they were arrested and held without ever being charged or brought to trial. They were identified as Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, Lyman Mohammed and Usama Murtala.
Sustained diplomatic engagement by the Ministry and the Nigerian Mission in Côte d’Ivoire eventually secured their release. But for Usama Murtala, freedom came too late. He had fallen seriously ill in prison due to inadequate medical care, and died on June 24 at a critical care hospital, a day after his release. He was buried the following day in accordance with Islamic rites, following consultations with his family.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu described the detention in blunt terms. “There was no charge sheet. There was no trial. They were simply detained and taken to prison,” she said. She explained that Nigerian authorities were never notified when the men were first detained, a gap that delayed diplomatic intervention for months. Compounding the problem, the detainees had no access to legal representation and no way to communicate in an unfamiliar legal system. “They could not speak English in an environment where French was spoken. They never really stood a chance,” the minister said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu called Usama’s death a stark reminder of the risks Nigerians face abroad, particularly those who leave the country through irregular migration channels. She noted that many Nigerians imprisoned overseas are young people chasing better opportunities who end up trapped in judicial systems they don’t understand and can’t navigate. The Federal Government, she said, will pursue Usama’s case with Ivorian authorities and seek compensation for his family. She also urged Nigerians to think twice before undertaking risky journeys abroad, pointing out that many citizens jailed overseas were intercepted while simply passing through other countries.
The minister framed the intervention as consistent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and its Citizen Diplomacy initiative, and appealed directly to the Sokoto State Government to provide rehabilitation and skills acquisition support for the five survivors, confirming the Federal Government had formally requested the state’s help with their reintegration. “They have endured severe pain, trauma and hardship, and deserve support to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society,” she said.
Aliyu Malami, speaking on behalf of the returnees, said he had travelled to Côte d’Ivoire for business and ended up spending months in detention under difficult conditions, unable to explain his situation to authorities because of the language barrier. He thanked the Federal Government for securing their release and said he plans to return to legitimate business.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies provided relief packages to the five returnees, who are expected to reunite with their families in Sokoto on Wednesday.
