Nigeria rights group demands justice after killing of staff member

Luka Xhango

Kaduna

Nigerian human rights organisation House of Justice on Thursday demanded justice after the killing of one of its staff members, Samuel Kelechi Emmanuel (1985–2025), whose death has drawn condemnation from civil society groups and renewed concern about worsening insecurity in Africa’s most populous nation.

Emmanuel, 39, known to colleagues as “Big Sam”, was attacked and killed in his Kaduna home this week by unidentified assailants, the group said.

At a candlelight service at its Kaduna office, House of Justice described Emmanuel as a dedicated advocate who had risen from volunteer to a core member of the organisation over six years.

“For Sam’s mother, she lost an only and beloved son. For us at House of Justice and members of the Justice family, a committed soldier of justice who did not have to die, has gone down,” the group said in a statement.

The organisation called on Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, the state’s police commissioner and attorney general, and federal security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are identified and prosecuted.

“Nigeria cannot afford needless loss of precious lives. The killers of Sam must be brought to book,” it added.

Born in 1985, Emmanuel worked on several humanitarian and justice projects, including the creation of HOJ Radio/TV and the IDP-SKARF School for children displaced by conflict. He also coordinated the group’s summits and outreach programmes and was overseeing staff recruitment for its new Jos office before his dea

Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, chief executive of House of Justice, said Emmanuel’s murder was “a deep pain” for the rights community. “We will not rest until we find justice for you,” she said at the memorial service.

Nigeria is grappling with widespread insecurity ranging from Islamist insurgencies in the northeast to banditry, kidnappings and communal violence in the north-central states. Rights groups warn that aid workers, civil society actors and ordinary citizens are increasingly vulnerable to targeted attacks.

No arrests have yet been announced in connection with Emmanuel’s killing.