Usama Murtala: Bianca Ojukwu Narrates How Nigerian Trader Dies in Abidjan Prison After Release
- Usama Murtala and five friends from Sokoto were arrested and held without charge in an Abidjan prison since last year while trading in phone parts
- The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu revealed the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan was never notified of the men's arrest by Ivorian authorities
- Murtala died in a critical care hospital the morning after his release, as his family back in Sokoto prepared for his homecoming
A young Nigerian trader from Sokoto, Usama Murtala, has died in Côte d'Ivoire, one day after being freed from detention at MACA prison in Abidjan, where he and five colleagues had been held without charge or trial for months.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who posted about the ordeal on her official X account on Wednesday, revealed that Murtala and his friends had travelled to Abidjan to trade in mobile phone parts when they were arrested under what she described as suspicious circumstances.
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Source: Twitter
The group, all young men in their twenties, had been detained since last year with no formal charges brought against them. Their families in Sokoto were unaware of the full scale of the crisis unfolding abroad.
Ojukwu: Nigeria's Embassy left in the dark
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the case was brought to her attention in April 2026, and that when she reached out to the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, officials had not yet been informed of the arrests by the Ivorian authorities.
Following sustained diplomatic engagement by the Nigerian Mission in Abidjan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the group was eventually secured for release.
However, by the time of his release, Murtala's health had deteriorated severely due to inadequate medical attention inside the prison. Embassy officers rushed him to a critical care hospital, but he died the following morning.
"Usama had seen freedom, but did not live long enough to return home and enjoy it," Odumegwu-Ojukwu wrote.
He was buried in a cemetery on the outskirts of Abidjan, in accordance with Islamic rites, as requested by his parents, with his fellow detainees and Embassy officials in attendance.
His mother and siblings in Sokoto had reportedly been preparing to welcome him home at the time of his death.
Survivors heading home
The five surviving members of the group were confirmed to be returning to Nigeria. Odumegwu-Ojukwu named them as Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa'adu Bello, and Lyman Mohammed.
"To the survivors of this harrowing ordeal... we will be there to receive you and celebrate your triumph over adversity," she wrote, adding, "In advance, we say, 'welcome home'."
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria's government would be taking up Murtala's case with the Ivorian authorities, describing his death as a painful illustration of the dangers faced by young Nigerians who travel abroad in search of economic opportunity, often without adequate consular awareness or legal protection.
"This is not just one story. It is a reflection of many," she said, noting that many Nigerians imprisoned overseas are vulnerable young people caught in foreign judicial systems they are ill-equipped to navigate.
Nigerians return from South Africa
Previously, Legit.ng reported that Nigerians who recently returned from South Africa shared accounts of what they termed harsh treatment, insecurity, and discrimination during their stay.
Legit.ng had earlier reported that the first set of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos around 11 am on Thursday, June 11.
Source: Legit.ng
