ABUJA, NIGERIA — A coalition of prominent local and international human rights organizations has issued a grave warning, alleging a “credible and imminent threat” to the life of Nigerian whistleblower Nnamdi Emeh, who remains incarcerated despite multiple court orders granting him bail. The groups, including the Whistleblowing International Network, Transparency International Ireland, and the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), jointly addressed a letter to key Nigerian government officials, urging immediate action to ensure Emeh’s safety and release.
Emeh, a former IT consultant for the Anambra State Rapid Response Squad, was arrested and charged with sundry offenses—including unlawful possession of firearms, money laundering, and hacking—after allegedly leaking evidence of extrajudicial killings, organ harvesting, and corruption within the Nigerian Police Force (NPF). The coalition asserts that Emeh’s continued detention exposes him to severe danger. “We raise the alarm over a credible and imminent threat to the life of Nigerian whistleblower Nnamdi Emeh, who remains imprisoned despite being granted bail,” their statement read.
Emeh was first granted bail by a Federal High Court in May 2023, with a further court order for his release issued in May 2024. However, he remains behind bars, a situation his family attributes to “police interference.”
Alleged Assassination Plot Uncovered
Adding urgency to the appeal, Emeh’s father, Professor John Emeh, revealed a chilling assassination plot. “A weapon was reportedly smuggled into the Awka Correctional Centre in Anambra State, where his son is detained, with instructions to ‘provoke a fight and assassinate Nnamdi during the altercation,'” the coalition noted.
This is not the first attempt on Emeh’s life, according to the groups. Following his arrest in 2023 after being repatriated from the Republic of Benin on an Interpol Red Notice, an earlier assassination plot during a prison transfer was reportedly uncovered and “only averted after public outcry.” The joint letter was sent to the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, among others, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Inspector-General of Police. The rights groups condemned Emeh’s ordeal as “symptomatic of a broader pattern of retaliation against those who expose corruption and abuse within Nigerian institutions.”
They put forward three specific demands to the Nigerian authorities including the Immediate release of Nnamdi Emeh in compliance with court orders;a thorough investigation into the threats against his life and measures to ensure his safety in custody and after release; and the public release of the findings of the Inspector-General of Police’s investigative panel, which was established in February 2023 to investigate the serious human rights abuses Emeh’s leaks brought to light.
The coalition also made a direct plea to the international community, specifically appealing to diplomatic missions from Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany, to “intervene diplomatically and publicly to protect Mr. Emeh’s life and uphold the rights of whistleblowers in Nigeria and beyond.”
