Gay gusau, nigeria

The heated public debate and heightened media interest in the law have made homosexuality more visible and LGBT people even more vulnerable than they already were. Found predominantly in northern Nigeria, the Hausa people are one of Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups. Activists say the law has worsened discrimination against sexual.

They torture, force people to confess, and when they hear about a gathering of men, they just head over to make arrests. Human Rights Watch interviewed eight of the 21 young men who were arrested, but not charged, at a birthday party in Ibadan. Navigate Gay Nigeria with caution.

The law has become a tool being used by some police officers and members of the public to legitimize multiple human rights violations perpetrated against LGBT people. While existing legislation already criminalizes consensual same-sex conduct in Nigeria, the report found that the SSMPA, in many ways, officially authorizes abuses against LGBT people, effectively making a bad situation worse.

While Human Rights Watch found no evidence that any individual has been prosecuted or sentenced under the SSMPA, the report concludes that its impact appears to be far-reaching and severe. Arbitrary arrest and extortion by police is commonplace under the SSMPA.

They have strong cultural and religious values that hinge on strict gender roles. Although now largely homophobic, the Hausa society did not always have homophobia rooted in its culture. No more gays! Interviewees in Ibadan and other places told Human Rights Watch that they had been detained by the police multiple times since the passage of the SSMPA.

Such violations include torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, violations of due process rights, and extortion. Human rights groups and United Nations officials expressed grave concern about the scope the law, its vague provisions, and the severity of punishments.

These individuals said they had never been subjected to questioning, arrest, or detention prior to the enactment of this law. Gusau district was one of the Districts that emerged following the jihad movement of the nineteenth century in Hausa land, led by the legendary Sheikh Usman dan Fodio.

The notional purpose of the SSMPA is to prohibit marriage between persons of the same sex. IN Nigeria, discrimination against members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) community exposes them to attacks, abduction, and sometimes leaving them without adequate access to healthcare.

Share this via Facebook Share this via Bluesky Share this via X Share this via WhatsApp Share this via Email More sharing options Share this via LinkedIn Share this via Reddit Share this via Telegram. Many LGBT individuals interviewed by Human Rights Watch said that prior to the enactment of the SSMPA in January , the general public objected to homosexuality primarily on the basis of religious beliefs and perceptions of what constitutes African culture and tradition.

Such provisions build on existing legislation in Nigeria, but go much further: while the colonial-era criminal and penal codes outlawed sexual acts between members of the same sex, the SSMPA effectively criminalizes lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender LGBT persons based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

In reality, its scope is much wider. Law enforcement authorities in Nigeria are using the country’s same-sex prohibition law to target the LGBTQ+ community while ignoring abuses against them, rights groups and lawyers say, in the wake of fresh mass arrests of gay people. Basically, because of this law [SSMPA] the police treat people in any way that they please.

The National Theatre was one of fifteen locations highlighted during Nigeria’s first-ever all-inclusive month-long LGBTQ+ pride month which pays homage to the fearless spirit of Queen Amina of Zauzau (modern-day “Zaria” in Kaduna State, Nigeria), who is arguably an LGBT+ icon of her time.

Human Rights Watch research indicates that since January , there have been rising incidents of mob violence, with groups of people gathering together and acting with a common intent of committing acts of violence against persons based on their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Punishments are severe, ranging from 10 to 14 years in prison. Find essential travel tips, important advice, and insights for LGBTQ+ travelers in our comprehensive guide to Gay Nigeria. Five years ago, the Nigerian government signed the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, essentially banning gay relationships.

The passage of the SSMPA was immediately followed by extensive media reports of high levels of violence, including mob attacks and extortion against LGBT people. This followed consultations with Nigeria-based LGBT activists and groups, and mainstream human rights organizations.

This report documents the human rights impact of the SSMPA on LGBT individuals and its effects on the activities of non-governmental organizations that provide services to LGBT people. For instance, in February in Gishiri village, Abuja, a group of approximately 50 people armed with machetes, clubs, whips, and metal wires dragged people from their homes and severely beat at least 14 men whom they suspected of being gay.

They told Human Rights Watch that members of the public informed the police that gay men were gathered together and when police arrived and found a bag of condoms that belonged to an HIV peer educator, they were all arrested.