Members of the Nigerian community in Norwich, United Kingdom, have initiated a fundraising drive to repatriate the remains of a Nigerian student, Uchenna Okirie, also known as “Common Man,” who was killed in his residence in November 2025.
Okirie was fatally stabbed in his student accommodation in an incident that sent shockwaves through the local Nigerian community.
British authorities have charged a 27-year-old Congolese man, Benjamin Katabana, in connection with the killing.
To enable the return of the deceased’s body to Nigeria, the Nigerian Community Norwich set up a GoFundMe campaign titled, “Rest in Peace, Uche: Help Us Return Him to His Family.”
Checks on Wednesday showed that the appeal had raised £1,149 from 67 contributors, out of the £7,000 required for transportation and burial arrangements.
In a statement accompanying the fundraiser, the organisers described Okirie as a generous and dependable individual who consistently offered support to those around him.
They said he earned a Master’s degree in Development Economics from the University of East Anglia in the 2021/2022 academic session and also served as an international student ambassador during his time at the institution.
According to the group, Okirie was known for assisting newly arrived international students, providing accommodation, guidance and help with settling into life in the United Kingdom.
The community noted that his calm nature, integrity and readiness to place others first made him a source of quiet strength to friends, classmates and colleagues.
The organisers said funds raised would cover the cost of returning his body to Nigeria and organising funeral rites, adding that Okirie had no immediate relatives resident in the UK.
They appealed for continued public support to ensure the deceased is laid to rest with dignity in his home country.