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A man identifying himself as Olatunji George Anthony has appealed to Nigerians for assistance in returning home, saying he has spent years in Sierra Leone after travelling there in pursuit of opportunities in entertainment.
Anthony’s appeal was circulated on social media in a video credited to Kayy Dija and shared alongside references to Guardian Nigeria and social-media commentator VeryDarkMan.
In the video, Anthony says he is Nigerian and came to Sierra Leone intending to build a career in the entertainment industry. He claims circumstances left him unable to return home and has now resolved to ask Nigerians to help him get back to Nigeria.
The claims have drawn attention online, but details surrounding Anthony’s account remain independently unconfirmed. Searches of publicly available sources did not establish his identity, when he entered Sierra Leone, how long he has lived there or the circumstances that prevented his return.
The appeal comes against a broader history of Nigerians becoming stranded in Sierra Leone under difficult circumstances. During the 2014 Ebola outbreak, for example, Nigerian nationals were among those affected by travel restrictions and border closures in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone has also seen cases where Nigerians needed assistance returning home. In 2020, Nigerian chess player Oladapo Adu became stranded in West Africa after travelling to Sierra Leone for a tournament, although his circumstances were unrelated to Anthony’s case. For now, Anthony’s account remains an appeal for assistance rather than a fully independently verified account of his circumstances.
The social-media post attributed to Kayy Dija has brought renewed attention to his situation, but Anthony, Nigerian authorities, or relevant Sierra Leonean officials must provide further confirmation to establish the details of his case.