Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has successfully secured the release of a Nigerian pastor, Benjamin Egbaji, who was jailed in the Republic of Benin amid worsening health conditions.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister, Dr. Magnus Eze, says Egbaji is a cleric and businessman from Cross River State.
He regained his freedom on Thursday, January 8, following a presidential pardon granted by the President of Benin Republic, Patrice Talon.
The pardon, gazetted on December 17, 2025, followed sustained diplomatic engagements and pressure from the Nigerian government.
The pastor had been detained for more than two years on multiple charges and was reportedly held under dehumanising conditions.
At a point during his incarceration, he was chained to a hospital bed in Cotonou as his health deteriorated before being returned to prison custody.
A viral photograph showing Egbaji in chains while receiving medical treatment sparked widespread outrage across Nigeria, prompting swift diplomatic intervention by the Federal Government.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu revealed that her office persistently engaged Beninois authorities over the matter, including a visit to the pastor at a Cotonou hospital in August 2025.
She attributed the breakthrough to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s citizen-centred foreign policy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Tinubu’s commitment
“This development underscores President Tinubu’s strong commitment to citizen diplomacy, which remains a central thrust of the Four-Ds foreign policy approach—Democracy, Demography, Diaspora and Development,” the minister said.
She disclosed that she spoke with Pastor Egbaji shortly after his release and described him as being in high spirits, while stressing the need for urgent medical attention.
“He is grateful and relieved, but his health condition requires immediate and adequate medical care,” she noted.
Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had formally appealed to the Beninois government to either allow Egbaji access to advanced medical treatment abroad or permit him to serve his sentence in Nigeria.
It expressed concern over the slow pace of response despite the cordial relations between both countries.
The letter partly reads: “In the spirit of our longstanding friendship and in recognition of the humanitarian imperative, we kindly request that Pastor Egbaji be repatriated to Nigeria.”
Reacting to the development, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Benin Republic chapter, Alhaji Mohammad Munir, praised Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu for what he described as her diplomatic skill and uncommon commitment to the welfare of Nigerians abroad.
“The Minister has demonstrated rare dedication to protecting Nigerians in the diaspora,” he said commending President Tinubu for prioritising the safety of Nigerians outside the country.
He however urged continued diplomatic efforts to secure the release of innocent Nigerians held in foreign prisons.
