The Federal Government has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating health of a Nigerian national, Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, who is currently facing trial and being held in detention in the Republic of Benin.
Egbaji, a businessman and cleric from Cross River State, has reportedly been confined in a Cotonou hospital under dehumanising conditions for nearly two years, with his health said to be worsening.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Beninese authorities to release Pastor Egbaji to enable him to receive proper medical care and serve the remainder of his sentence in Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said reports from the Nigerian Mission in Cotonou confirmed that Egbaji’s health had continued to decline, necessitating urgent medical intervention.
She noted that the Ministry has been making diplomatic efforts to secure his release in line with the citizen diplomacy policy of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who visited Egbaji in Cotonou earlier in August alongside Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, said Nigeria had formally requested that Egbaji be transferred home for medical care and to complete his custodial sentence.
Expressing concern over the slow response from Beninese authorities, she appealed for a speedy resolution, citing the longstanding ties of friendship, cultural affinity, and mutual respect between both nations.
In a recent letter addressed to the Government of Benin, Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria’s humanitarian appeal, stating:
“It is against this backdrop of solidarity and goodwill that we seek your kind consideration regarding Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, who has been serving a 10-year custodial sentence since October 2023. Unfortunately, his health has deteriorated severely, and two independent medical experts have recommended that he be transferred abroad for urgent medical care.”
She added that repatriating Pastor Egbaji to Nigeria to serve the remainder of his sentence would be a humanitarian gesture reflecting the strong spirit of fraternity and cooperation that has long defined relations between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
