FG SUMMONS IVORIAN ENVOY OVER NIGERIAN’S DEATH IN DETENTION, DEMANDS PROBE, COMPENSATION
Read Time:2 Minute, 43 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Federal Government has summoned the Ivorian Ambassador to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, demanding a full explanation over the death of a Nigerian trader, Usama Murtala, while in detention in Côte d’Ivoire.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, raised the issue during a meeting with the envoy at her office in Abuja on Friday, following the recent release of five other Nigerians who were detained alongside the deceased in Abidjan.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Communications and New Media, Magnus Eze.
Murtala and five other Nigerians—Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, and Liman Mohammed—were arrested in August 2025 while on a trading trip to Abidjan by road from Sokoto.
According to the statement, the six men were detained at the Maison d’Arrêt et de Correction d’Abidjan (MACA) Prison without being charged or tried.
The five surviving traders were recently released following sustained diplomatic engagements by the Nigerian Mission in Côte d’Ivoire and interventions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Expressing concern over the incident, Odumegwu-Ojukwu questioned why Nigerian authorities were not notified of the arrest and detention of the citizens, noting that the lack of official communication delayed diplomatic intervention.
She described the detainees as traders whose inability to communicate effectively due to language barriers compounded their ordeal, adding that they were denied access to legal representation throughout their detention.
“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.
She further lamented that no reason had been provided for their prolonged detention without charge or trial.
“Nobody could give reasons why they were arrested and detained for so long without trial or charge,” she added.
The minister also decried the failure of the Ivorian authorities to return the traders’ phones, goods, money and other personal belongings seized at the time of their arrest, despite their eventual release.
She informed the ambassador that the five survivors had since reunited with their families in Sokoto State but stressed that the circumstances surrounding Murtala’s death must be thoroughly investigated.
“It is important that we communicate this to you. They have gone back to Sokoto, their state of origin, but the sad memory of the death of their colleague will linger,” she said.
“We want you to communicate this to the authorities in Abidjan. This should be properly investigated; it should be probed. And anytime there are issues involving our nationals, the Embassy in Abidjan should be informed. We are aware of what language barriers could cause.
“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.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu had earlier indicated, while receiving the five freed Nigerians at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday, that the Federal Government would pursue compensation for Murtala’s family.
Responding to Nigeria’s concerns, Ambassador Traore expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and to the Nigerian government, assuring the minister that he would immediately relay the issues raised to the appropriate authorities in Abidjan for necessary action.
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