When Love Becomes A Death Sentence – Inside Nigeria’s Hidden Crisis
A recent video from Port Harcourt, Nigeria shows a disturbing scene. Two men were stripped to their underwear. They were forced to hold hands. People hit them with sticks while others recorded on phones. Blood covered their bodies.
An older man told LGBTQ Nation these attacks happen often in Rumuewhara, Port Harcourt. He shared his views about past attacks:
“We catch homosexuals all the time and teach them a lesson they won’t forget. There are so many beautiful women in Nigeria so I don’t understand why a man would be looking at his fellow man. Last year we caught a man who plaited his hair and dressed as a woman; we took off his clothes, we saw his gboola (penis), confirming he was a man, and we beat him up mercilessly. In fact, we almost killed him. Homosexuality is an abomination against God, and we won’t tolerate such in our community or the wrath of Sodom and Gomorrah will befall us.”
His words show how deep these beliefs run in the community.
Social Media Giants Face Criticism
Meta’s review board called out Facebook and Instagram for failing to remove a similar video from December. The video got 3.6 million views between December 2023 and February 2024, and 92 users reported it. Three reviewers said it didn’t break any rules.
In 2014, Nigeria passed the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act. It means 14 years in prison for same-sex relations. Some northern states with Muslim law can give death sentences.
Former president Goodluck Jonathan signed this law. It made things worse. The law bans same-sex unions and stops people from speaking up. Violence went up for six years after that.
“I Never Thought It Would Happen To Me”
Philip from Lagos shared his story. In 2021, he visited a friend in eastern Nigeria. A group broke into the apartment while they cooked dinner. They beat both men badly. Doctors wouldn’t help without a police report. Philip needed stitches and had a broken arm.
Kenneth lost someone special in 2020. A driver killed his partner Mike for how he looked. “Mike was the sweetest person I knew,” Kenneth told LGBTQIA+ Nation. No one faced charges for Mike’s death.
Schools Aren’t Safe Either
Raymond, 20, got kicked out of school in 2021. His classmates found a private letter. They beat him with buckets and hangers. The school made him stand in shorts at assembly. Then they expelled him.
A 2019 Pew Research study shows 87% of Nigerians oppose equal rights. This affects daily life. People face attacks at home, school, and on streets. The police often don’t help.
