Gov’t demands compensation after Nigerian citizen dies in Ivorian prison

Sunday, June 5, 2026 - The Federal Government has demanded compensation from the government of Côte d’Ivoire following the death of a 24-year-old Nigerian trader, Usama Murtala, who died after being detained in the country's prison system.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the demand on Friday during a meeting with Côte d’Ivoire’s ambassador to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, according to a statement issued by the ministry’s media aide, Magnus Eze.

Murtala was among six Nigerian traders who reportedly travelled by road from Sokoto State to Abidjan in August 2025 for business. The group, which also included Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello and Liman Mohammed, was arrested and detained at MACA Prison in Abidjan without charge or trial.

The five surviving traders were recently released following diplomatic efforts by the Nigerian mission in Côte d’Ivoire and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja earlier this week, where the minister received them

Odumegwu-Ojukwu questioned why the Ivorian authorities failed to notify the Nigerian government of the arrests, saying the lack of communication delayed diplomatic intervention. She said the traders, who had travelled for legitimate business, struggled with language barriers in the French-speaking country and were denied access to legal representation.

According to the minister, the detainees were imprisoned without being informed of any charges and endured harsh conditions, including being fed only once a day. She said two of the men became critically ill during their detention, with Murtala later dying in custody. She also alleged that the traders’ mobile phones, goods, money and other personal belongings were not returned after their release.

Calling for accountability, the minister urged the Ivorian government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrests and detention and to ensure that Nigerian nationals are treated with dignity in future. “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,” she said.

Responding, Ambassador Traore expressed condolences to Murtala’s family and to Nigeria, assuring the minister that he would promptly convey the concerns raised to the authorities in Abidjan.