THE Federal Government has received five Nigerian citizens rescued from detention in Côte d’Ivoire, revealing that a sixth member of the group died shortly after their release from prison in the West African country.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Tuesday evening received the returnees at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, alongside the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and other government officials.

The five returnees; Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello and Lyman Mohammed; were among six young Nigerians who travelled by road from Sokoto to Abidjan on a trading trip in August 2025 before they were arrested and detained in the MACA Prison without charge or trial.

The sixth member of the group, Usama Murtala, fell ill while in custody and died on June 24, 2026, at a Critical Care Hospital in Abidjan, a day after the group regained their freedom following diplomatic intervention by the Nigerian government.

He was buried the following day in Côte d’Ivoire in accordance with Islamic rites after consultations with his family in Sokoto.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the Nigerian authorities were unaware of the detention until April this year, when the matter was brought to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She explained that the ministry immediately engaged the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, whose sustained diplomatic efforts with the Ivorian authorities eventually secured the release of the detainees.

“There was no charge sheet. There was no trial. They were simply detained and taken to prison,” the minister said.

She noted that the young men were further disadvantaged by language barriers, as they could neither communicate effectively in French nor obtain legal representation during their detention.

“They could not speak English in an environment where French was spoken. They never really stood a chance,” she added.

The minister described Usama Murtala’s death as a painful reminder of the dangers faced by many young Nigerians who leave the country in search of better opportunities without understanding the legal and social systems of their destination.

According to her, many Nigerians imprisoned abroad are vulnerable youths who become trapped in unfamiliar judicial systems while pursuing economic opportunities.

“Usama’s story remains a painful reminder of how fragile life can be for young people who set out on these journeys to unfamiliar environment with unfamiliar systems without knowing what await them,” she said.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that the Federal Government would pursue compensation from the Ivorian authorities over the circumstances surrounding the detention and death of the deceased.

“We will be taking up the case with the Ivorian Authorities for compensation,” she stated.

The minister also cautioned Nigerians against embarking on irregular journeys abroad in search of greener pastures, noting that many of those incarcerated overseas were arrested while transiting through foreign countries.

She said the government’s intervention reflected President Bola Tinubu’s Citizen Diplomacy initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda, which places priority on the welfare and protection of Nigerians irrespective of where they reside.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu appealed to the Sokoto State Government to support the rehabilitation of the five returnees through skills acquisition and empowerment programmes.

She revealed that the Federal Government had already written to the state government, urging it to assist the young men with capacity-building initiatives to help them rebuild their lives after enduring months of trauma and hardship.

Speaking on behalf of the returnees, Aliyu Malami said what was meant to be a business trip turned into months of incarceration under harsh conditions.

He attributed much of their ordeal to their inability to communicate with the authorities because of the language barrier.

Aliyu thanked the Federal Government for securing their freedom and facilitating their return to Nigeria, expressing optimism about rebuilding his life through legitimate business.

The returnees also received relief packages from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other government agencies.

They are expected to reunite with their families in Sokoto before the week runs out.