Nigerian gay activists in UK want Buhari to repeal Gay law in independence day protest
This happened in London yesterday. Scores of Nigerian gay activists living in London stormed the Nigerian High Commission to pass on to President Buhari and government the over 65,000 signatures they were able to gather demanding that Nigeria repeals its 'archaic' anti-gay law.
According to them, Nigeria has one of the harshest anti-gay laws out of the 76 countries that currently criminalise LGBTI people. The Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill punishes same-sex “amorous relationships” with 10 years in prison. It also prohibits same-sex marriage with up to 14 years and jails members of LGBTI equality or advocacy groups for 10 years.
The author of the Care2 Petition, Aderonke Apata, said:
“Since the insidious 2014 anti-LGBTI law was passed in Nigeria, there have been waves of police arrests and torture, anti-LGBTI mob attacks, public whippings, evictions from homes, harassment and discrimination against ‘suspected’ LGBTIs. Equality advocacy organisations and activists in Nigeria are not spared mistreatment.
“Growing up in Nigeria, I was unable to disclose my s3xuality, yet unable to hide it. The culture in Nigeria makes it clear that being gay or transgender is a sin, a sentiment that is fuelled by homophobic messages from faith communities, political leaders, families, and schools. I took these messages in, identified with them, and carried the shame of being a lesbian woman in Nigeria. I was arrested, tortured and extorted by the Nigerian Police. I demand a repeal of this toxic law.”
Pictured above is Rev. Jide Macaulay, Nigeria's first openly gay preacher and the founder of House of Rainbow Fellowship, a secret gay church in Lagos at the rally. See more pics below:
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| Aderonke Apata |
