It is globally acknowledged that Nigeria has battled severe insecurity for nearly three decades. Despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent declaration of a State of Emergency to curb the violence, citizens across the nation still struggle to sleep with their eyes closed.
Given the capacity and apparatus of the country’s security agencies, many believe this saga should have long been brought to an end. Instead, the frequency of terrorist strikes, kidnappings, and banditry continues to rise.
However, while the government is occupied with this loud and brutal insurgency, a secretive and criminalized civil union is reportedly growing in the shadows. Under the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act 2013, acts of gross indecency are punishable under federal law by up to 14 years in imprisonment. In states operating under Sharia law, unnatural sexual acts attract even harsher penalties, including death by stoning.
Despite these severe sentences and the daily societal hostility encountered by the LGBTQ community, reports indicate that many individuals continue to advocate for, organize, and participate in underground gay clubs and societies. Disturbing sources now suggest that some mutilated bodies discovered across the nation often attributed to ritual killings or terrorist acts may actually be victims of extrajudicial punishment passed on members of the LGBTQ community.
Security agencies claim to possess intelligence regarding elite individuals and organizations breeding these activities.
Compounding the issue are allegations of corruption within the Nigeria Police Force, where rogue officers reportedly benefit financially from extorting known LGBTQ members. Our publication on July 2, 2024, detailed how specific individuals were hunted down by local vigilantes. Current investigations reveal the existence of underground organizations across the country with names such as “Black Pant,” “Rain Club,” “Plus Plus,” and “Love of Rainbow.”
The death of Alhaji Rasaq Adetunji Alaso (a.k.a. Alhaji Gay) on July 20, 2015, blew the lid off many secrets, with the internet playing a crucial role in exposing the reach of these networks from Kano to Port Harcourt, Jos, Onitsha, and throughout the Southwest.
Offenders often operate under the belief that the advocacy of figures like Bisi Alimi, Aderonke Apata, and others can shield them from Nigerian law. However, the legal framework remains oppressive, enforced through mass arrests and raids on private gatherings.
Public sentiment remains largely unified with the government on the penalties against the LGBTQ community. The slogan LOCK THEM IN THE CAGE, popular in 2019 during arrests in Kwara, Osun, and various higher institutions, still resonates. Northern Nigeria has long declared a total rejection of gender expressions alien to its culture, asserting that Dan Luwadi (gay men) and Madigo (lesbians) have no place in the region.
Intelligence sources allege that during the Democracy Day events on May 29, 2025, some LGBTQ members secretly mobilized parades under the guise of End Bad Governance protests fueled by economic hardship. A preliminary inquiry has led to the compilation of a list of individuals suspected to be involved across the country.