Nigeria Demands Answers Over Citizen's Mysterious Death in Ivorian Custody

The Federal Government has taken a strong stance in demanding explanations from the Ivorian government regarding the death of a Nigerian citizen, Usama Murtala, who died while in detention in Côte d’Ivoire. This development came after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, met with the Ivorian Ambassador to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, at her office in Abuja. The meeting was prompted by the recent release of five other Nigerians who were detained alongside Murtala in Abidjan. According to Magnus Eze, the Special Assistant on Communications and New Media to the minister, the five survivors were freed after sustained diplomatic efforts by the Nigerian Mission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Murtala and the five other Nigerians - Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, and Liman Mohammed - had embarked on a trading trip from Sokoto to Abidjan in August 2025 when they were arrested and detained in the MACA Prison without charge or trial. The minister expressed concern over the lack of notification to the Nigerian authorities regarding the detention of the six citizens, which she believed delayed diplomatic intervention. Odumegwu-Ojukwu also highlighted the challenges faced by the detainees due to language barriers and the absence of legal representation. She 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.' The minister further complained that the traders' personal belongings, including phones, goods, and money, had not been returned to them despite their release. She emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into Murtala's death and sought compensation for his family. The minister also called for better treatment of Nigerian nationals in Côte d’Ivoire, saying, '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.' In response, Ambassador Traore expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and assured the minister that he would convey the Federal Government's concerns to the Ivorian authorities.