RismadarVoice Reporters
July 3, 2026
The Federal Government of Nigeria has summoned the Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, following the death of a Nigerian citizen, Usama Murtala, during a prolonged detention in an Abidjan prison.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, met with the envoy on Friday to express Nigeria’s concern over the incident and demand justice for the deceased.
According to the ministry, Murtala was among six young Nigerians from Sokoto State who travelled by road to Abidjan in August 2025 for business purposes. Shortly after arriving in Côte d’Ivoire, the group was arrested and detained at the Maison d’Arrêt et de Correction d’Abidjan (MACA) Prison without trial.
The prolonged detention reportedly resulted in Murtala’s death while in custody.
The other detainees identified as Aliyu Malami, Shamsu Abubakar, Nasiru Umar, Liman Mohammed and Sa’adu Bello were recently released following sustained diplomatic efforts by the Nigerian Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, Odumegwu-Ojukwu called on the Ivorian authorities to provide adequate compensation to Murtala’s family, describing his death as deeply unfortunate.
She noted that although the surviving detainees had safely returned to Nigeria and reunited with their families, the loss of their colleague remained a painful reminder of the ordeal they endured.
The minister also disclosed that two of the freed Nigerians returned home in critical health after allegedly suffering severe malnutrition during their detention. According to her, the detainees were reportedly given only one meal per day while in prison, leaving some of them in poor physical condition.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of Nigerians abroad and pledged to continue engaging Ivorian authorities to ensure accountability and prevent similar incidents in the future.
