Oreoluwa Adegbite, a Nigerian technology professional, has alleged that he fled Nigeria in February 2019 due to credible and ongoing threats to his life stemming from political involvement during the Lagos State gubernatorial elections.

Adegbite’s statements outline a clear pattern of intimidation, unlawful detention, and threats by state-associated actors after he chose to distance himself from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its gubernatorial candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Initially contracted as a youth mobilization consultant for Sanwo-Olu’s campaign, Adegbite states that he raised ethical concerns after discovering that a senior campaign adviser had a pending drug-related case and had previously jumped bail in Nigeria. His concerns were ignored. Around the same time, Sanwo-Olu himself was facing public scrutiny due to allegations involving drug use. Adegbite alleges that his refusal to stay silent about these issues led to escalating threats from members of the campaign party and politically connected law enforcement officials.

In his testimony, Adegbite details two arrests by police forces, which he believes were politically motivated. During one detention, on February 1, 2019, he was denied access to vital medication for high blood pressure, physically assaulted, and warned not to speak to the media. He was further threatened with being framed for internet fraud—a tactic reportedly used in Nigeria to target tech professionals and dissenters and even killed eventually.

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Fearing for his life and the safety of his family, Adegbite withdrew his children from school and began relocating frequently. Despite considering internal relocation to northern Nigeria, he found that option untenable due to ongoing regional insecurity. His employer at the time, Marc Privett, reportedly supported his decision to seek safety abroad. Adegbite ultimately fled Nigeria on February 25, 2019, arriving in the United States days before news reports implicated the Lagos campaign in ties to an alleged fugitive cocaine trafficker.

Since his departure, Adegbite has reported that some of his properties in Nigeria have been seized by the government, while the remainder remain inaccessible due to the urgent and unplanned nature of his exit. He maintains that the threats to his life persist and that returning to Nigeria would expose him to a high risk of arbitrary arrest, physical violence, or even death. To date, the Nigerian government has not publicly responded to his claims or taken any action to address his allegations.

This case not only highlights a well-founded fear of persecution due to political opinion, but also raises a deeper question about the future of Nigeria if it continues to drive away its brightest minds. Adegbite, a skilled tech professional, faced targeted threats from political actors and law enforcement simply for expressing dissent and distancing himself from a powerful ruling party. The abuses he suffered—including unlawful detention, denial of medical care, physical assault, and threats of fabricated charges—underscore the dangerous environment for critical thinkers and innovators. If individuals like Adegbite are forced into exile for refusing to compromise their principles, what hope remains for building a just, progressive, and democratic Nigeria?