The Federal Government has demanded a formal investigation and financial compensation from Côte d’Ivoire following the death of 24-year-old Nigerian trader Usama Murtala, who died after a nearly year-long detention without trial in Abidjan. 

Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu summoned the Ivorian Ambassador to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, on Friday to protest the treatment of Murtala and five other Sokoto-based traders who were arrested last August during a road trip to Abidjan.

 While the five survivors were recently released and repatriated following diplomatic intervention, the Minister revealed they were subjected to severe malnutrition and stripped of their belongings, demanding a commitment from Ivorian authorities to treat Nigerian citizens with dignity moving forward. Ivorian Envoy Ambassador Traore has expressed his condolences and promised to relay Nigeria's demands to Abidjan.

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?The Minister strongly condemned the conditions under which the traders were held, highlighting the lack of transparency from Ivorian authorities:

?“These young men were simply detained and taken to prison. For these months, they had poor nutrition as they were fed once a day. Two of them were critically ill and one eventually died. Nobody could give reasons why they were arrested and detained for so long without trial or charge.”

?Odumegwu-Ojukwu further emphasized the trauma the incident has caused the victims' families and demanded systemic changes:

?"They have gone back to Sokoto, their state of origin, but the sad memory of the death of their colleague will linger. We want you to communicate this to the authorities in Abidjan. This should be properly investigated; it should be probed. So, we seek compensation for the dead young man's family and a commitment that Cote d' Ivoire will going forward treat our nationals with dignity."