FG Alerted on Rising Cases of Nigerians Jailed in Cote d’Ivoire

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Community in Cote d’Ivoire, Davidson Ogbu, has called on the federal government to unconditionally rescue Nigerians confined in the most dehumanising conditions in Cote d’Ivoire prisons before their health deteriorates.

Ogbu, who is also the Coordinator of Delta State Community in the West African country, disclosed that many of the victims, including women did not commit any crime but found themselves in prisons due to administrative issues and intimidation from opposition.
“I am raising this alarm because of the huge numbers of Nigerians languishing in Cote d’Ivoire prisons. I want the federal government to intervene because some of them are going through inhumane conditions,” he said.

He pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to aid the affected Nigerians, as many of them are sick and lack the administrative fee to free themselves.
He also called on the Nigerian government to intervene either through the Nigeria Correctional Service or by collaborating with the Ivorian prison service and exploit how they can give better conditions to the Nigerian prisoners.

“Some of them did not commit crimes, they just needed administrative clearance. There is a need for our federal government to intervene at this time because the huge number of Nigerians in prison is so enormous that it is becoming alarming. Many of them were thrown into prison by some of the opposition groups who would go to the villages and arrest these women and extort them and those who could not are kept in the prison.

“Many of them are languishing in the prison somehow. Our government needs to do something about it since they are still humans. There is a need for the government of Nigeria to intervene to help those who desire presidential interventions to be freed.
“We are not saying those that committed crime should not serve but we want better conditions and for those who did not commit crime should be set free,” the Delta State indigene said.

​