A “truly heartbreaking” story of a Nigerian who travelled to Abidjan with his “friends” but died after being “abandoned to rot in prison” has been shared by Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
The Minister narrated on X, Usama alongside his friends “in their twenties” travelled to Abidjan for their “trade in phone parts”.
They got arrested under “suspicious circumstances” and detained in Abidjan’s MACA Prison “without charge or trial” since 2025.
The Minister said, these juvenile Nigerians were “literally abandoned to rot in prison”. She revealed, the “unfortunate” situation of Usama and his friend reached her office in April 2026, and, after contacting the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, a bustling economic city in Ivory Coast, she was shocked to find out that, they had not been informed of their arrest by the Ivorian authorities.
Due to “difficult” conditions in the MACA Prison, Usama became ill; his health condition “worsened”, sadly, medical attention did not come on time and he died.
According to MFA Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu: “Truly heartbreaking…..
“Usama and his friends, young lads in their twenties left Sokoto by road, wide-eyed, full of hope and ambition, believing they were stepping into opportunity when they travelled to Abidjan for their trade in phone parts.
“They were arrested under suspicious circumstances and detained in MACA prison, Abidjan without charge or trial since last year. Far away from home, without language access or familiar support systems, they were literally abandoned to rot away in Prison.
“Their unfortunate circumstances was brought to my attention in April this year and when I contacted our Embassy in Abidjan, I was dismayed to discover that they had not even been notified of their arrest by the authorities there .
“The conditions in prison were very difficult, as expected, and and one of detainees, Usama Murtala became ill, and with poor medical attention his health worsened over time.
“With sustained engagements by our Mission, and diplomatic interventions by our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are happy to secure the release of these citizens. It is a bittersweet moment. Usama, whose health condition had worsened by then, was overjoyed to be finally free.
“Our officers at the Nigeria High Commission made spirited efforts to save his life by rushing him to a Critical Care Hospital for treatment, but alas, it was too late for Usama. He died the next morning, far from home and family, oblivious to the fact that his mother and siblings in Sokoto, were excitedly preparing for his return.
“It was, for me, a heartbreaking moment of engagement with his family. Usama would not be coming home.
“Usama had seen freedom, but did not live long enough to return home and enjoy it.
“Usama was buried the day after, with his co-detainees and officers of our Embassy present, in a cemetery in the outskirts of Abidjan in accordance with Islamic rites as his parents requested.
“Today, we are bringing home the survivors of this unfortunate incident. Young men who set out with hope, but their dreams were interrupted in ways they never expected.”
