On Monday 14th January 2013, three men were stripped naked and beaten in Ekwe, near Umuka in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State for supposedly being homosexuals.

The pictures of their ordeal in the hands of members of the community have gone viral, eliciting a range of reactions from Nigerians. Among those who have strongly condemned the action is Steve Aborisade, Founder/Coordinator of the Nigeria HIV Info, a group dedicated to the protection of the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS.

In a letter to Rochas Okorocha, the Imo State Governor, Aborisade said the men were yet to be released from the location where they are being held in Umuka, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State and called on security agents to quickly respond to their plight.

In the letter titled: Gross Abuse Of Human Rights Through A Homophobic Attack On Three Men In Ekwe Area of Imo State, Aborisade condemned the “inhuman treatment” meted out to the men and said being homosexual does not give others the license to trample on their rights.

While acknowledging that several Nigerians find the practice of homosexuality strange and unnatural, we also realize that it does not confer a license to trample on the rights of people who engages in it, with the sort of inhuman treatment that was meted out to these them.

So many informed commentators, including Nobel Prize winner, Prof Wole Soyinka have commented on the scientifically proven fact that more than anything, gays are just victims of biology.

We note and condemn the prevailing adverse legal and social environment that most LGBT now have to face in Nigeria, being criminalised for their sexual orientation and being made a target for harassment and violent assault fuelled by the on-going debates by the nation’s parliament on criminalizing homosexual acts.

Instead of being singled out for harassment and prosecution, what this community deserves is support and access to sexual health services that they lack as citizens of this country. The LGBT community remain a high risk group to HIV/AIDS infection, yet it is a community that has been denied of all access to life saving HIV/AIDS services. We suggest that our parliamentarians should devote equal energy at fishing out and punishing our treasury thieves who are doing more harm to the continued survival of our nation instead of dissipating energy on an issue that borders on private morality.

We enjoin other rights group to show solidarity and ensure that the rights of sexual minorities are protected like other marginalized groups in the country.

http://www.bellanaija.com/2013/01/17/human-rights-group-condemns-the-stripping-beating-of-3-men-in-imo-state-for-allegedly-being-gay/

I refuse to believe dat ga.y-ism is as a result of nature. Heck no...dere are people who have fought such....things. I wonder however if after their release, they would still go back to dere abnormal b.s

Is there any law against being gay in Nigeria? The only one i know is the one against GAY MARRIAGE.

we need to understand that gays are human like us, they didnt choose their sexual orientation, why cant we just let them be? you need to be a gay to understand the kind of pain they are passing through in a society like Nigeria.

Pls Let them be

Jan8: I refuse to believe dat ga.y-ism is as a result of nature. Heck no...dere are people who have fought such....things. I wonder however if after their release, they would still go back to dere abnormal b.s

well thank god ..the one that created imbeciles, siamesse children and gays (his creations are perfect)...some people try to fought it, some gave up along the line ..... thats what nature is all about

Oyibo no put una noise for this matter, this is not human right thing, do you know how many young boiz the gays has knack akpako?

We luv it.

No more homo in 9ja.

dahonestboss: we need to understand that gays are human like us, they didnt choose their sexual orientation, why cant we just let them be? you need to be a gay to understand the kind of pain they are passing through in a society like Nigeria.

Pls Let them be

are u one?

gay in western world is diff from naija...Here dere ar doin it for rituals...God will unclad dem on cnn so dat t whole world will c them.....

ijebabe: Ekwe, near Umuaka in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State

Its umuaka, not umuka.

Human Right Group? Hhhmmmm so funny indeed. F U C K to that Human Right and to HELL with them.

May God punish those human right and for the Boloks eye sore called Gay or whatever i'm still thinking the word to use for you all but as a matter of fact thunder fires you all to HELL.

enigmagu1:


are u one?

I don't need to be one.

Afam4eva: Is there any law against being gay in Nigeria? The only one i know is the one against GAY MARRIAGE.

Certainly u dnt know the law...

Anything Gay in Naija Leads To 14yrs ImPrisonment


I dey susspect u, maybe u follow sef... Lol

I tire for some people o. I keep wondering what the business of people is about what others do in their private bedroom! Going around people's bedroom so check who is lesbian and Gay! I tire well well. Gay,how has it affected them. Are you God? Leave them to God,simple!

He, whom is without sin, should caste the first stone!

*speechless*

who hid my post?

SlyIg: I tire for some people o. I keep wondering what the business of people is about what others do in their private bedroom! Going around people's bedroom so check who is lesbian and Gay! I tire well well. Gay,how has it affected them. Are you God? Leave them to God,simple!

They became a menace the day they OPENLY demanded for official recognition.

I still find it 'barbaric' that human beings'll be treated just because of their sëxùal status. Nigeria's too religious abeg.

Welcome to the new nigeria. The chicken has come home to roast!! Tomorrow if your neighbours don't like you, they'll just accuse you of being gay and beat you to death. They need not have proof and they ae immune from prosecution.

[quote
author=dahonestboss]we need to understand that gays are human like us,
they didnt choose their sexual orientation, why cant we just let them
be? you need to be a gay to understand the kind of pain they are passing
through in a society like Nigeria.

Pls Let them be [/quote]

are you sick upstairs? How on earth..... This is africa and not america who are happily walking towards their doomsday... Imagine yourself kissing and romancing your fellow man... Even a mad man cannot try it... Or perhaps you are one

never_say_never: I still find it 'barbaric' that human beings'll be treated just because of their sëxùal status. Nigeria's too religious abeg.

Nigeria is not religious. It is filled with hypocrites and blood thirsty cowards.

Check my profile picture to know my response!

enigmagu1: gay in western world is diff from naija...Here dere ar doin it for rituals...God will unclad dem on cnn so dat t whole world will c them.....

All gays are ritualists? Mscheeeeew!

INNO18: Check my profile picture to know my response!

never_say_never: I still find it 'barbaric' that human beings'll be treated just because of their sëxùal status. Nigeria's too religious abeg.

Open up and tell us if you are one of the boloks period then we know you and identify you right away. But when a country say No this is not acceptable so why not you just listen and foget all these craps silly things called gay or ga whatevercat you??

The Western world has ruined the entire world with their filthy way wardness and this was part of the things that gave birth to Terrorism we are suffering for today because in Islamiic world the West are term a "Pollutant" which is somehow correct thereby angered people like Bin Laden seeking for clean society and embrace Sharia and Sharia gave birth finally to Terrorism here we are now. If gay are beaten up good for them as a matter of fact their joystick should be amputated from their body since they dont need it period.

any body that dont like it can pls relocate to another country. Y will u encourage babaric and stupid act

hypocrites...

God hv mercy on us. So people can be proud to call them self gay in naija. Don,t compair western with us. If any of them contact HIV here were i lived im germany they recived every month from goverment. And treatment is free .but in naija u are on ur own.plz let call bad thing bad.

mankand:

are you sick upstairs? How on earth..... This is africa and not america who are happily walking towards their doomsday... Imagine yourself kissing and romancing your fellow man... Even a mad man cannot try it... Or perhaps you are one

America walking towards doom? Nigeria nko? #iLaff. One man's poison is another man's meat.