PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (FN) — A young Nigerian man identified by friends as Hilary has died after an alleged homophobic assault in the southern city of Port Harcourt, drawing condemnation from human rights advocates and renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s anti-LGBTQ+ climate.
Activists say Hilary, believed to be in his late twenties, was lured by unknown assailants through a social media contact before being beaten and thrown from a two-storey building. He sustained spinal injuries and later died in a hospital, according to LGBTQ+ advocacy group House of Rainbow.
“This was not an accident. Hilary was targeted for who he was,” said Jide Macaulay, the group’s founder. “We are calling for a transparent investigation and prosecution of everyone involved.”
The Rivers State Police Command said Sunday that it had opened an inquiry into the death. A spokesperson, Superintendent Grace Iringe-Koko, told the Associated Press that detectives were “reviewing digital evidence and witness statements” but had not yet confirmed any arrests.
“We take this case seriously,” Iringe-Koko said. “Regardless of sexual orientation, every citizen is entitled to protection under Nigerian law.”
Family members described Hilary as “gentle and hardworking,” accusing the attackers of premeditated murder. “He left home that morning saying he was meeting a friend,” a cousin, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, said. “Hours later we got a call that he’d been thrown off a building. He didn’t deserve to die this way.”
Nigeria’s Ministry of Justice said in a statement that it “condemns all acts of mob violence and unlawful killings” and pledged cooperation with state authorities. But officials declined to comment directly on whether the attack would be investigated as a hate crime.
The killing has fueled anger among LGBTQ+ Nigerians, who say violence against queer people often goes unpunished under the country’s Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act of 2014, which criminalizes same-sex relationships and advocacy.
“This tragedy exposes how laws meant to suppress LGBTQ+ existence embolden abusers,” said Ikechukwu Nwankwo, a Port Harcourt-based rights lawyer. “Until the government protects everyone equally, these deaths will continue.”
Residents reported that local vigilante groups sometimes assist police in raids on suspected queer gatherings, a practice critics say fosters impunity. “People are afraid to even report attacks because they fear arrest,” said a community organizer with the TIERs Foundation, a Lagos-based LGBTQ+ rights network.
International rights groups, including Amnesty International, have urged Nigerian authorities to “end the culture of violence and silence” surrounding anti-gay assaults. “Hilary’s death is part of a disturbing pattern of ‘kito’ attacks — cases where queer men are entrapped, robbed, or killed,” Amnesty said in a statement.
As of Sunday, no suspects had been publicly identified. Police say the investigation is ongoing.
Hilary’s burial is expected later this week in his hometown outside Port Harcourt. His family says they want justice — not only for him, but for others who remain silent.
