In the country's Muslim north, 12 states have adopted Sharia, with punishment for gay sex including lashings, jail and death by stoning. In 2014 former president Goodluck Jonathan signed a bill which proscribed penalties of 14 years' jail for same-sex marriage and 10 years' for same-sex 'amorous relationships'.
Gay sex has been outlawed in Nigeria since the time of British rule but recently the situation has become more dire for Nigeria's LGBTI community. asked them to let me die in ,' Femi says. 'I tried to bribe my way out of it and members of the community went to speak with my father. Every minute, every hour.'Īfter a month and two days in jail following his arrest, an NGO bailed him out. 'When he was angry he would start flogging me,' Femi says. In a country like Nigeria where 91 per cent of people believe homosexuality should be criminalised, his confession only led to more frequent and ferocious beatings from his father. He kept the relationship a secret until his father accused him of being 'gay and acting girly'. Before court the men were dragged out in front of local media ( ABC News: Declan Cooley ) He wanted me to 'die in jail'įemi says he 'became gay' at 14 when he fell in love with the man who raped him, an older man who was close friends with his father.