Nigerian Pastor Freed From Benin Prison After FG Intervention.

A Nigerian pastor, Benjamin Egbaji, has been released from custody in the Republic of Benin after more than two years in detention, following intervention by the Federal Government.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to Nivo News, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, confirmed that Egbaji regained his freedom on Thursday, January 8, 2026, after receiving a presidential pardon from Benin Republic President Patrice Talon. The pardon had been officially approved on December 17, 2025.

Egbaji, a cleric and businessman from Cross River State, was initially detained over multiple alleged offences and held under guard at a hospital in Cotonou before being transferred to prison. Reports indicate that his health deteriorated during detention, drawing public attention after a photo circulated online showing him chained to a hospital bed, prompting widespread outrage in Nigeria.

The minister credited Egbaji’s release to sustained diplomatic efforts by Nigeria, including her personal visit to him in Cotonou in August 2025, and highlighted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s citizen-centred foreign policy under the Renewed Hope Agenda. Following his release, Odumegwu-Ojukwu confirmed that the pastor was in good spirits but still required medical care.

Nigeria had earlier requested that Egbaji be allowed to return home for treatment or to complete his sentence in a Nigerian facility. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also raised concerns about delays by Benin authorities, citing the historical and cooperative ties between the two countries. Medical reports had indicated that the pastor needed urgent care unavailable locally, prompting Nigeria’s humanitarian appeal.