The Federal Government has secured the release of a Nigerian pastor, Benjamin Egbaji, who was jailed in the Republic of Benin for over two years under what officials described as “dehumanising conditions.”
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, facilitated the release following sustained diplomatic efforts and engagement with Beninois authorities.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, the minister disclosed that Pastor Egbaji, a businessman and cleric from Cross River State, regained his freedom on January 8, 2026, after receiving a presidential pardon from Benin’s President, Patrice Talon.
According to Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the amnesty was officially gazetted on December 17, 2025, following months of pressure from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She noted that she personally visited Egbaji during his hospitalisation in Cotonou in August 2025.
“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 stated .
She attributed the diplomatic success to the citizen-centred foreign policy championed by President Bola Tinubu, describing it as a core element of 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,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu added.
The minister further revealed that she spoke with Egbaji shortly after his release.
“He is in high spirits, but he deserves good medical care after all he has been through,” she said.
Pastor Egbaji was accused of multiple offences and initially detained in a hospital in Cotonou before being transferred to prison as his health worsened. A photograph showing him chained to a hospital bed went viral in 2025, triggering outrage among Nigerians and prompting Abuja’s intervention.
Prior to his release, the Nigerian government had appealed to Beninois authorities to repatriate Egbaji on humanitarian grounds so that he could access proper medical treatment or serve any remaining sentence in Nigeria.
That appeal was made following a joint visit to the detained pastor by Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari.
“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 read.
It added that Egbaji’s health had “deteriorated severely while in detention”, and his release symbolises 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 (NIDO), Republic of Benin chapter, Alhaji Mohammad Munir, praised 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,” Munir said.
