At least 21 civil society organisations in Nigeria and abroad have petitioned the federal government over threats to Nnamdi Emeh’s life.
Emeh, a 27-year-old corps member and IT expert, has been in prison since 2023 after exposing alleged police crimes.
He accused Patrick Agbazue, a senior officer with the notorious Akwuzu SARS unit, of killings, extortion, and organ harvesting.
Despite meeting bail conditions in May 2024, Emeh remains detained at the Awka Correctional Facility in Anambra State.
Fresh fears have now emerged that he may be assassinated in prison.
In a statement titled “Save Whistleblower Nnamdi Emeh from Imminent Assassination in Nigerian Prison,” the CSOs raised alarm, urging top government officials to probe the alleged plot and protect Emeh’s life.
The appeal was directed to the Ministers of Justice, Interior, and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Inspector General of Police.
The National Human Rights Commission and the Nigerian Correctional Service were also asked to intervene immediately.
According to Emeh’s father, Professor John Emeh, a weapon was smuggled into the prison to stage a deadly attack.
He claimed there were instructions to provoke a fight and kill his son during the chaos.
This would not be the first attempt on Emeh’s life, the CSOs noted.
They said a previous plot during a prison transfer was stopped only after public outcry.
Emeh reportedly leaked documents exposing police corruption, illegal killings, and organ trafficking in Anambra State.
His whistleblowing identity was later exposed, forcing him to flee to Benin Republic for safety.
He was later arrested on an Interpol Red Notice and deported to Nigeria. Thereafter, the police charged him with money laundering, fraud, hacking, and illegal possession of firearms.
Despite multiple court rulings granting him bail, Emeh remains in custody, allegedly due to police interference.
The Inspector General of Police has yet to release findings from a 2023 panel investigating Emeh’s allegations.
CSOs stated that his continued detention reveals a disturbing pattern of retaliation against whistleblowers in Nigeria.
They demanded Emeh’s immediate release, an open investigation into the assassination plot, and publication of the police panel’s report.
Groups that signed the petition include Transparency International Ireland, Blueprint for Free Speech, and Whistleblowing International Network.
Others include the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, PPLAAF, and the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy.
The organisations warned that Nigeria’s democracy is at risk if whistleblowers continue to face persecution for exposing the truth.
