On Friday, October 24, 2025, Jide Macaulay, founder of the House of Rainbow, took to his Instagram account to announce the devastating death of a queer Nigerian man identified as Hilary. But this wasn’t just another random incident. Macaulay said it was a deliberate and carefully planned act of targeted murder.
For many queer Nigerians, silence is survival. Beneath the genuine desire to love and be loved lies the fear of becoming the next tragic headline, punished simply for existing. Of all those fears, the possibility of being kitoed (which the BBC describes as when people, usually gangs, use online dating apps to entrap gay people – and then blackmail them) is the most incessant.
What happened to Hilary?
Macualey describes the events leading up to Hilary’s death as “a brutal homophobic attack in Port Harcourt.” According to the heartbreaking announcement released by the House of Rainbow founder, Hilary was deceived, lured into a meeting under false pretences, and subjected to targeted violence. The attackers reportedly beat him and threw him off a two-storey building. Despite fighting for his life, Hilary eventually died from severe spinal cord injuries caused by the attack.
He also added that Hilary represents another queer life taken far too soon, mourning it as the second reported kito-related death in just two weeks.
He ended with a call to unity: for the queer community to hold one another close, to mourn and rage together, and to keep speaking truth to power until safety and dignity are no longer privileges but rights. “Hilary’s light will not be forgotten,” he wrote. “May his memory strengthen our resolve for justice and peace.”
As the call for justice continues to gain momentum, the hate and systemic failure against queer Nigerians remain persistent. In the comment section of Macaulay’s post, several social media users were seen mocking the grief and dismissing the violence as something almost deserved.
Unfortunately, even the Nigerian Police Force has refused to treat this alleged murder with the urgency it deserves, which in itself is deeply problematic.
Who’s behind Hilary’s death?
The details surrounding this homophobic attack are still unfolding; however, some social media users have identified one Kenneth Iseoluwa Olonta as the alleged mastermind behind the attack. Though they allege that this is likely not his first attempt at attacking a queer Nigerian, it is important to note that we cannot confirm the authenticity of these allegations until the Nigerian Police Force releases an official statement to this effect.
What are Nigerian security authorities doing about Hilary’s death?
Since news of Hilary’s attack spread across social media, human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have joined thousands of Nigerians in calling for justice. They’re urging the Nigerian government to open a public investigation into the brutal attack and ensure those responsible are held accountable.
Minority Watch, an organisation that offers legal and paralegal services to Nigerian minority groups, and Obodo Centre for Advocacy and Equal Rights have also jointly written a petition addressed to the Nigerian police, demanding an investigation, arrest, and prosecution of all those involved in the incident.
However, as of the time of publication, there’s been no public response or indication that the police have begun investigating the case.
What does the Constitution say about attacks like this?
Even though the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act (SSMPA) of 2014 prohibits same-sex marriage, civil unions, and public displays of affection, Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees every Nigerian citizen the right to life.
The law specifically states that “Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in the execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty.”
This law, it appears, holds true for every Nigerian except the queer ones. Ironically, victims of kito who entrusted the police with their safety and quest for justice have reportedly been dismissed and exposed to more danger in the past. Human Rights Watch believes that the 2014 Same-Sex marriage law has been used to justify widespread discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ people in Nigeria, adding that the police have often been complicit in these abuses. The mass detention of over 160 queer Nigerians without proper investigation in 2023 (justified with this law) also corroborates this claim.
The government’s silence enables these murders
The Nigerian government’s consistent refusal to address violence against queer Nigerians makes it hard to believe that every human life is truly valued in the country. In so doing, it encourages the cold-blooded murder of innocent Nigerians merely for leading an alternate lifestyle.
In 2024, a Nigerian cross-dresser known as the “Abuja Area Mama” was found lying lifeless on the roadside with a visible gunshot wound. Even though the Nigerian police launched a probe into Area Mama’s killing, we cannot confirm that the murderers are currently behind bars.
Following his death, Minority Watch, in collaboration with two other NGOs, submitted a formal petition to the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on the very day of the incident, and another on February 12, 2025. Both petitions called for a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. But despite these efforts, the organisation’s effort has only been met with a silence that mirrors the lack of justice in Hilary’s case.
There’s an uncomfortable pattern here that’s difficult to ignore. When murder cases spark public outrage on social media, the Nigerian Police Force often jumps into action and releases statements to allay public fears, outrage, and confirm the investigation into such cases. But when the victims are queer Nigerians, the silence is deafening. No press releases. No public condemnation. No assurance that justice will be served.
That silence is not ignorance; it comes off as an endorsement. By refusing to speak or act, the police send a dangerous message that targeting queer Nigerians comes without consequence. And in that way, they actively enable these killings.
We condemn these acts of injustice and affirm that the Constitution stands above personal bias, prejudice, or hatred toward the LGBTQ+ community. If the Constitution declares that all Nigerian lives matter, then all Nigerian lives without exception must truly matter.
How can you get justice for Hilary?
- Demand justice by joining the #JusticeforHilary social movement.
- Support organisations like Minority Watch, who are already following up on the legalities of this case by sharing their updates and driving more visibility to their work.
- Spread messages of love and support to the queer community as they navigate this loss.
