Benin President Grants Clemency to Nigerian Pastor Detained for Over Two Years

President Patrice Talon of the Republic of Benin has granted clemency to Benjamin Egbaji, a Nigerian pastor and businessman from Cross River State, who had spent more than two years in detention in Benin.

Details of the charges against Egbaji remain unclear. Reports indicate that he was initially held under harsh conditions in a hospital in Cotonou, the Beninese capital, before being transferred to prison as his health worsened.

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, disclosed in a statement through her media aide, Magnus Eze, that the pastor regained his freedom on Thursday.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the pardon, officially gazetted on December 17, 2025, came after persistent diplomatic efforts by the ministry, including her visit to Egbaji in August while he was hospitalized.

“The federal government’s sustained advocacy, backed by medical assessments from court-appointed experts recommending urgent treatment abroad, played a key role in securing his release,” she said.

Public outcry had intensified after images showing the pastor chained to a hospital bed circulated on social media, prompting intensified diplomatic pressure for either his release or transfer to Nigeria for medical care.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that she spoke with Egbaji shortly after his release and confirmed that, while in good spirits, he still required urgent medical attention. She also credited President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to citizen diplomacy as a driving factor behind the breakthrough.

The Nigerian government has continued to make humanitarian appeals for the welfare of its citizens abroad, particularly in situations involving health emergencies.