FG Secures Release of Nigerian Cleric Detained in Benin Republic

The Federal Government has announced the release of Nigerian pastor and businessman, Benjamin Egbaji, who had been detained and imprisoned in the Republic of Benin for over two years.

Egbaji, a cleric from Cross River State, was arrested on various charges and initially held under harsh conditions in a Cotonou hospital, where his health reportedly deteriorated, before being transferred to a prison facility.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, confirmed his release in a statement, describing it as the outcome of sustained diplomatic engagements by the Nigerian government. According to the statement signed by her media aide, Magnus Eze, Egbaji regained his freedom on Thursday, January 8, 2026, following a presidential pardon granted by Benin Republic President, Patrice Talon.

The minister disclosed that the presidential amnesty, gazetted on December 17, 2025, came after consistent diplomatic pressure from Nigeria, including her visit to Egbaji at a Cotonou hospital in August 2025. Public outrage had earlier been sparked by a viral image showing the ailing Nigerian chained to a hospital bed, prompting immediate intervention by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu attributed the successful release to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to citizen diplomacy, a key pillar of the administration’s foreign policy under the Renewed Hope Agenda. She explained that the Diaspora component of the 4-Ds foreign policy framework—Democracy, Demography, Diaspora and Development—places the welfare of Nigerians abroad at the centre of diplomatic action.

Speaking shortly after Egbaji’s release, the minister said she contacted him by phone and confirmed he was in good spirits, while stressing the need for proper medical care.

The ministry had earlier appealed to Beninois authorities to either release Egbaji or allow his transfer to Nigeria to receive adequate medical treatment and serve the remainder of his sentence. The request followed concerns over the slow pace of response despite the longstanding cordial relationship between Nigeria and Benin, built on shared heritage, mutual respect, and cooperation.

In a formal letter to Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odumegwu-Ojukwu highlighted Egbaji’s severe health condition and noted that court-appointed medical experts had recommended urgent treatment abroad after local medical interventions proved ineffective.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Benin Republic chapter, Alhaji Mohammad Munir, commended the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs for what he described as effective and compassionate diplomacy. He also praised President Tinubu for prioritising the protection of Nigerians abroad and called for continued diplomatic efforts to secure the release of innocent Nigerians detained in foreign countries.