Abuja, NIGERIA – The Federal Government of Nigeria has formally summoned the Ivorian Ambassador to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, to demand a transparent explanation regarding the unlawful detention of six young Nigerian traders and the tragic death of one citizen, Usama Murtala, in Abidjan.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, led the high-level diplomatic meeting in Abuja following the rescue and return of the five surviving traders earlier this week. Okay News reports that the victims—all indigenes of Sokoto State—were arrested on a business trip in August 2025 and held without trial or formal charge inside the notorious MACA Prison until a successful diplomatic intervention secured their release.
The sixth trader, Usama Murtala, tragically fell ill due to harsh custodial conditions and poor nutrition before passing away at a critical care facility in Abidjan. During the confrontation, the foreign affairs minister fiercely questioned why the Ivorian authorities failed to notify the Nigerian Embassy upon the traders’ initial arrest, a critical lapse that severely delayed life-saving consular and legal interventions.
The Nigerian government has officially filed demands for immediate financial compensation for the deceased’s family, the comprehensive restitution of personal properties and cash still withheld by Ivorian guards, and a formal administrative undertaking to prevent future human rights violations against Nigerians. Ambassador Traore extended his country’s profound apologies and condolences, promising to swiftly convey Nigeria’s firm conditions to the government in Abidjan.
