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A court in Benin Republic has ordered four Nigerian nationals, who were arrested and arraigned for illegal migration, to pay a fine of N3 million.

These Nigerian nationals were earlier declared missing by their family members after alerting the public that their whereabouts were unknown following a business trip to Benin Republic.

According to the family source, the four men arrived in Benin Republic on Tuesday, October 22, and stayed at the F&F Hotel in the Savalou region. But by the following day, their relations could not reach them on their mobile lines again.

The source told SaharaReporters that the men's wives were later able to reach them and confirmed that they had been arrested.

He said the Benin Republic Government arrested and arraigned them in court for allegedly entering the West African country illegally.

They were all arraigned on October 31, 2024, according to the source.

The family member disclosed that Nigerian nationals were eventually denied bail by the court.

According to the source, this was because they were not represented by a lawyer when they were arraigned.

Giving an update during a recent interview with SaharaReporters, the family source confirmed that the Nigerian nationals secured their freedom on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, after they paid a fine.

He said the court convicted them for illegal migration with a 3-month jail term or an option of a fine.

“My brothers and their friends have been released. They paid up to N3 million as a fine. The court said others who could not pay the fine should be sentenced to 3 months in prison,” the source said.