The Federal Government has formally requested the authorities of the Republic of Benin to repatriate Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, a Nigerian cleric and businessman currently serving a custodial sentence in Cotonou, citing urgent medical concerns.
Pastor Egbaji, a native of Cross River State, has been detained since May 2023 following allegations of sexual assault by a Beninese national, Pede Victoire. He is presently receiving care at a hospital facility in Cotonou.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, expressed the government’s concern over Egbaji’s deteriorating health and called for his transfer to Nigeria to enable proper medical attention while continuing his sentence domestically.
The statement, issued on Tuesday by the minister’s aide, Magnus Eze, noted that the minister had visited Egbaji in August alongside Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Bakari, during which the request for transfer was formally communicated.
“Nigeria has expressed concern over the failing health of its national, Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, currently facing trial in the Republic of Benin,” the statement read. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on the Benin authorities to release the Nigerian national so that he could have better medical care and also serve out his sentence in Nigeria.”
According to the statement, two independent medical experts appointed by the Beninese court recently advised that Egbaji be transferred abroad for urgent medical care, as local interventions had proved insufficient.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu highlighted that the Nigerian Mission in Cotonou had provided updates indicating a steady decline in his condition, necessitating urgent intervention.
In a letter addressed to the Government of the Republic of Benin, the Nigerian government emphasised Egbaji’s long-standing contribution to Beninese society as a pastor, entrepreneur, and community leader, and requested repatriation on humanitarian grounds.
“It is against this backdrop of solidarity and mutual goodwill that I seek Your Excellency’s kind consideration regarding the plight of a Nigerian national, Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, who has been serving a custodial sentence in Cotonou since October 2023 for a jail term of 10 years,” the letter stated.
The Federal Government’s appeal reflects both a concern for the welfare of its citizens abroad and a desire to ensure that justice is balanced with humanitarian considerations. Discussions between Nigerian and Beninese officials are ongoing regarding the possibility of transferring Pastor Egbaji to a Nigerian correctional facility where he can access adequate medical care.
