FG Demands Answers, Compensation From Côte d’Ivoire After Citizen’s Prison Death

Nigeria’s Federal Government has formally summoned Kalilou Traore, the Ivorian Ambassador to Nigeria, to seek a thorough explanation regarding the demise of Usama Murtala, a Nigerian national who died while in custody in Côte d’Ivoire. The government is also pressing for financial compensation for Murtala’s family.

Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, brought up this crucial matter during discussions with the Ivorian envoy at her office in Abuja on Friday. This development follows the recent release of five other Nigerians who had been detained alongside the deceased in an Abidjan prison, as confirmed in a statement by Magnus Eze, the Minister’s Special Assistant on Communications and New Media.

Murtala, along with Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, and Liman Mohammed, embarked on a trading journey by road from Sokoto to Abidjan in August of the previous year. Upon arrival, they were apprehended and incarcerated in MACA Prison without any formal charges or trial. The five individuals who survived the ordeal were eventually freed through persistent diplomatic efforts by the Nigerian Mission and interventions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During her meeting with Ambassador Traore, Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed strong disapproval that Nigerian authorities were not notified of the citizens’ detention, emphasizing that this lack of communication significantly delayed necessary diplomatic intervention. She highlighted that the victims, being traders, faced aggravated challenges due to language barriers, which hampered their ability to communicate effectively, and were also denied legal representation throughout their detention.

The Minister stated, “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. Nobody could give reasons why they were arrested and detained for so long without trial or charge.”

Furthermore, she complained that the traders’ personal effects, including their mobile phones, merchandise, and money, which were confiscated at the time of their arrest, have not been returned to them despite their release.

Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu informed the Ivorian envoy that the surviving traders have since returned to their home state of Sokoto. However, she firmly insisted on a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Murtala’s death.

She articulated, “It’s 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. 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.”

The Minister had earlier conveyed the Federal Government’s intention to pursue compensation from the Ivorian authorities when she received the five survivors at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday night.

In response, Ambassador Traore offered his condolences to Murtala’s family and to Nigeria, assuring the Minister that he would promptly relay the Federal Government’s concerns to the relevant authorities in Abidjan.