FG Secures Release Of Nigerian Pastor Jailed In Benin Republic

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has facilitated the release of Nigerian pastor Benjamin Egbaji, who was imprisoned in the Republic of Benin and allegedly held in dehumanising conditions for over two years.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Magnus Eze, Egbaji, a businessman and cleric from Cross River State, was said to have been accused of multiple offences.

He was initially detained in a hospital in Cotonou before being transferred to prison as his health deteriorated.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that the pastor was released on Thursday, January 8, following a presidential pardon granted by Benin Republic’s President, Patrice Talon.

She explained that the amnesty, which was formally gazetted on December 17, 2025, followed sustained diplomatic pressure from her office, including a visit to Egbaji while he was hospitalised in August 2025.

According to the minister, a widely circulated photograph showing Egbaji chained to a hospital bed had sparked outrage among Nigerians and prompted urgent diplomatic engagement.

“This release is the result of consistent and determined diplomatic action. We were deeply concerned by his condition and the circumstances of his detention, and we took every necessary step to ensure he received justice and access to medical care,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.

She credited President Bola Tinubu’s foreign policy direction for the breakthrough, emphasising the administration’s focus on citizen diplomacy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“This diplomatic feat is a testament to President Tinubu’s commitment to citizen diplomacy. The diaspora component of our foreign policy places the welfare of Nigerians abroad at the centre of engagement,” she added.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu further revealed that she spoke with Egbaji by telephone shortly after his release.

“He is in high spirits, but he deserves good medical care after all he has been through,” she said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier appealed to Beninois authorities to release Egbaji to enable him to access proper medical treatment and, if necessary, serve the remainder of his custodial sentence in Nigeria.

The appeal followed a joint visit to the detained pastor by Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari.

In correspondence to Benin’s authorities, the minister highlighted humanitarian concerns and the longstanding cordial relations between both countries.

“In the spirit of our longstanding friendship and recognising the humanitarian imperative, we requested that Pastor Egbaji be repatriated to Nigeria to serve the remainder of his sentence,” the statement said.

It added that Egbaji’s health had “deteriorated severely while in detention,” noting that such a gesture would further demonstrate the enduring spirit of fraternity and cooperation between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, Republic of Benin chapter, Alhaji Mohammad Munir, commended the minister for her intervention.

“Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu has shown uncommon commitment to the well-being of Nigerians in the diaspora. We also commend President Tinubu and urge that more diplomatic efforts be deployed to assist other Nigerians incarcerated abroad,” he said.