Samuel Roji, along with his wife Linda, have fled Nigeria following the tragic death of his father, Felix Roji, a prominent businessman and politician in Delta State.
Felix Roji was assassinated during a political campaign on September 1, 2023 an event that has since put Samuel and his family in serious danger.
The trouble started after the death of a member of an opposing political party’s family. While the details were unclear, Felix Roji was named as a primary suspect.
Despite his protests of innocence the charged political atmosphere complicated the situation. “Even when no one knew how they were killed, my father was blamed,” Samuel explained.
It was gathered that the aftermath saw protests erupting across Delta State, intensifying pressure on his family. Samuel Roji described how his stepmother had urged his father to leave for safety, but he refused, insisting on his innocence. “Days later, tragedy struck,” he recounted.
Upon returning home one day, Samuel Roji discovered his father and stepbrother lying lifeless in a pool of blood. A chilling message was left behind: “Everyone in this house must be killed. We will be back.”
In the aftermath, Samuel Roji was advised by trusted friends and family to go into hiding. Along with Linda and their children, he fled to his grandparents’ home in Edo State. However, the threats persisted.
“Earlier this year, I started receiving calls from hidden numbers, warning me that I was next,” Samuel Roji said, still shaken by the ordeal. One caller ominously told him, “You will join your father soon.”
Despite moving frequently around, the family continued to live in fear. A family friend, worried about the escalating violence in Delta State, advised them to leave Nigeria, which they did with some help.
Now in an undisclosed location Samuel Roji is hopeful that he and his family would be able to start afresh and rebuild their lives and be safe from the violence that devastated their past.