Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The federal government has demanded a full investigation into the detention of six Nigerian traders in Côte d’Ivoire and the death of one of them, Usama Murtala, while seeking compensation for his family and the return of property allegedly seized from the victims.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this yesterday in an update posted on X, revealing that she met with the Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria, Ambassador Kalilou Traore, to seek explanations over the circumstances surrounding the arrest, detention and subsequent death of the Nigerian trader.
According to the minister, the six traders were detained without charge or trial. They were released only following diplomatic interventions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sustained engagement by the Nigerian Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire.
“We requested to know why the Nigerian Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire was not informed of their arrest and detention, which delayed the necessary diplomatic intervention that might have saved the life of the deceased,” she added.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the detained Nigerians, who had travelled to Côte d’Ivoire for trading activities, were unable to communicate effectively because of language barriers and were denied access to legal representation during their incarceration in the French-speaking country.
She said Nigeria had formally called on the Ivorian authorities to conduct a transparent investigation into the incident, while also demanding compensation for the family of Usama Murtala, who reportedly died shortly after regaining his freedom due to the harsh conditions of detention and inadequate medical care he received while in custody.
The minister further stated that the federal government was seeking the immediate return of the traders’ phones, money and other personal belongings allegedly confiscated during their arrest but not returned after their release.
She added that Nigeria had also requested firm assurances from the Ivorian government that any future arrests or detentions of Nigerian citizens would be promptly communicated to the Nigerian Embassy to enable timely consular assistance and ensure that Nigerians are treated with dignity.
Responding to the concerns, Ivorian Ambassador Kalilou Traore expressed condolences to the deceased’s family and apologized to the federal government for the incident, describing it as regrettable.
She added, “Ambassador Traore pledged to communicate the outcomes of the meeting and the concerns and demands of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the authorities in Abidjan as soon as possible.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed that the Nigerian government would continue to pursue justice for the affected families, insisting that the matter would not be allowed to go unresolved.
Politics
FG Demands Compensation over Death of Nigerian Trader, Detention of Six Citizens in Ivorian Prison
Related Articles
Atiku Asks EFCC, ICPC to Probe IMF’s Claim of Nigeria Spending N8.8tn Off-budget
*Says amount equivalent to 2% of Nigeria’s GDP Chuks Okocha in Abuja The former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku ...
Tinubu to Holy See: We’ll Continue to Prioritise Interfaith Dialogue for Peace, Tolerance to Reign
•Says he looks forward to hosting Pope Leo Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to prioritising interfaith dialogu...
Mourners Chant for Revenge at Khamenei’s Days-long Funeral
*US, Iran talks gather momentum *Gulf shipping faces fresh disruptions Festus Akanbi and Sunday Ehigiator Iran yesterday officially began several days of public funeral ...
ADEYEMI-GBAJABIAMILA CONTROVERSY: LET’S HAVE FULL TRANSPARENCY, PLEASE
This colourful tale deserves a thorough investigation The escalating controversy over a “fake” federal government agency is unhelpful to the current administration of Pr...
Gbajabiamila and His Multi-Dimensional Foes
Although not new to crisis, this time, the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, might be up in arms against entrenched principalities, writes Sho...
Era of Questionable Judgements
With the kind of incongruous decisions and “rascality” emanating from the courts in recent months, judicial analysts believe that an urgent intervention by the National J...