Odumegwu-Ojukwu Engages Ivorian Ambassador Over 24-Year Old Death Nigerian Following Long Detention

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ABUJA – The Federal Government has demanded explanation from Côte ’Ivoire authorities over the circumstances that led to the death of a Nigerian national, Usama Murtala, after incarceration in the country’s prison.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu who summoned the Ivorien Ambassador in Nigeria, Ambassador to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, to a meeting at her office on Friday also called for due compensation to the deceased’s family.

Usama and five other young Nigerians-Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello and Liman Mohammed, had gone on a trading trip from Sokoto to Abidjan by road, August last year, where they were arrested and detained in MACA Prison, Abidjan, without charge or trial.

They were, however, recently released following sustained engagements by the Nigerian Mission, and diplomatic interventions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Dr. Magnus Eze, said.

Receiving the five survivors on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Tuesday night, the minister had indicated that Government “will be taking up the case with the Ivorian authorities for compensation.”

Odumegwu-Ojukwu sought explanation from the Ivorian envoy why the Nigerian authorities were not informed of their detention, thereby delaying diplomatic intervention.

She described the young men as people on a mere trading trip who also had the impediment of communicating effectively due to language barriers. They did not also have access to legal representation in the French-speaking country.

“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 said.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu told the Ambassador that the seized phones, goods, money and other property of the traders were not handed back to them even after their release.

She further informed the envoy that the returnees had gone back to their state of origin, Sokoto.

The minister stated: “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 Cote d’ Ivoire will going forward treat our nationals with dignity.”

Responding, Ambassador Traore expressed condolences to the family of the deceased Nigerian national and the country as a whole.

He assured that he will communicate the concerns of Nigeria to Abidjan as soon as possible.