No doubt, the
Nigerian’s gay right
is still waxing
stronger. Several
parts of Nigeria has
witnessed arrests of
increase numbers
of gay men in
Nigeria under a
draconian anti-gay
law that makes
same-sex marriage
a crime punishable by up to 14 years in jail.
The law was signed in secret by members of
Nigeria’s House of Representatives in Abuja on
December 17, 2013 and by the president on January
7, 2014, although there was no public announcement.
The Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act criminalizes
same-sex marriage and provides for up to 14 years
in jail. Membership or supporters of gay
organizations, associations or clubs carries a penalty
of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The new law reflects a highly religious and
conservative society that largely considers
homosexuality a deviation. In areas of northern
Nigeria the law is enforced by Islamic Shariah courts
and homosexuals can be stoned to death.
As at January 2014 after the signing of the bill into
law, Dorothy Aken’Ova of Nigeria’s International
Center for Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights
said that police in Bauchi state have drawn up a list
of 168 allegedly gay men, 38 of whom have been
taken into custody so far.
The law has drawn widespread international
condemnation from countries including the United
States, Canada and Britain, Nigeria’s former colonial
power, as well as by a host of non-governmental
organizations such as AIDS-Free World, which in an
open letter appealed to United Nations Secretary-
General Ban Ki-Moon for “guidance and leadership”
to ensure that “the global response to HIV is neither
paralyzed at this critical time, nor set on a
disastrous reverse course”.
Dr Heather Collister of the Geneva-based
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) said
in a statement that the law “was manifestly
incompatible with international human rights
standards and must be repealed”. “In addition to
targeting same-sex relations, the law targets the
work of human rights defenders, effectively
criminalising their work,” she added.
One of such people who have been incarcerated by
local authorities and has face several forms of
threat to life by even family members is
Tobechukwu Ike Nwachukwu who is an active
member of a ‘Our Fathers Love’, a non-
governmental organisation which seeks to empower
the less privileged in the society.
In previous interviews, Ike Nwachukwu, who is not
gay and married with children but had tried to
intervene in conflicts relating to matters of violence
against gay persons, had narrated how he was
implicated, tortured and had his rights violated by
both local authorities and some members of the
public. He had previously gone on several other
media to decry his circumstance. He recently spoke
again to our correspondent but this time from
hideout explaining how he was forced to go into
hiding because his life was being threatened as he
gets confronted by people on a daily basis even from
his immediate community.
His wife has similarly suffered severe attacks on
social media by people who are claiming to wanting
her husband dead simply because he had appeared
to speak for the gay community.
“Not only on Facebook even my colleagues at my
work place come up to threaten me right in front of
me. They no longer hold anything back to express
how badly they feel about my husband’s advocacy
for these people who sometimes have their rights
violated”, she says.
“We are only living in fear and don’t even know
who to turn to as the authorities might not even
help when you go to them with cases of threats to
life. You would even be making matters worse” she
adds.
In December, the International Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Assocation (ILGA) said
that Nigeria’s law will not only incite increased
violence against LGBT people, but it will also justify
and legalize that violence even against people who
might be perceived to support or advocate against
the law.
Some observers have suggested the anti-gay law is
being used to draw attention away from Nigeria’s
multiple armed conflicts, religious tensions,
corruption and under-development, as well as to
draw public favour ahead of Jonathan’s expected
2015 re-election bid.
study from 39 nations around the world by the U.S.
Pew Research Center found that 98% of Nigerians
believe society should not accept homosexuality,
making the country the world’s least tolerant when
it comes to LGBT issues.
Nigeria is one of 38 African countries – about 70%t
of the continent – that have adopted anti-gay
legislation, and several African leaders have publicly
warned that they would not let foreign powers
dictate to them on the matter.
Among the countries still considering similar
legislation is Uganda, where in December 2013, the
national parliament passed a bill which would
punish “aggravated” homosexual acts with life
sentences, as well as penalize those who do not
report gay activity. The law currently awaits the
signature of the country’s long-serving president,
Yoweri Museveni.
Shawn Gaylord, advocacy counsel at the Washington-
based Human Rights First, said that “government
leaders around the world, including President
Musaveni…will be watching to see how the
international community responds to legislation
thact discriminates against the LGBT community”.
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