The Federal Government has demanded a full investigation into the death of a Nigerian trader, Usama Murtala, while in detention in Côte d’Ivoire, and is seeking compensation for his family.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, raised the issue on Friday during a meeting with the Ivorian Ambassador to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, at her office in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Communications and New Media, Magnus Eze, the meeting followed the recent release of five other Nigerians who were detained alongside the deceased in Abidjan.
The six Nigerians—Usama Murtala, Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, and Liman Mohammed—reportedly travelled by road from Sokoto to Abidjan on a trading trip in August 2025 before they were arrested and detained at the MACA Prison without charge or trial.
The five surviving detainees were recently released following sustained diplomatic engagements by the Nigerian Mission in Abidjan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, Odumegwu-Ojukwu questioned why Nigerian authorities were not informed of the detention of the six citizens, noting that the absence of consular notification delayed diplomatic intervention.
She said the traders were unable to effectively communicate because of language barriers and reportedly had no access to legal representation while in custody.
According to the minister, the detainees were held for several months under difficult conditions, with limited access to food and medical care. She said two of the detainees became critically ill during their detention, while Murtala later died in custody.
The minister also expressed concern that the traders’ phones, money, goods, and other personal belongings allegedly seized at the time of their arrest had not been returned despite their release.
She stated that although the surviving Nigerians had returned to their home state of Sokoto, the Federal Government expects the Ivorian authorities to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding Murtala’s death.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged the ambassador to convey Nigeria’s concerns to the authorities in Abidjan, stressing the need for accountability, improved treatment of Nigerian citizens abroad, and prompt notification of Nigerian diplomatic missions whenever nationals are detained.
She also reiterated the Federal Government’s demand for compensation for the deceased’s family.
In response, Ambassador Traore expressed condolences to Murtala’s family and the Government of Nigeria, assuring the minister that he would immediately communicate the concerns raised to the appropriate authorities in Côte d’Ivoire.
