It is no longer business as usual for those indulging in homosexual activities in Nigeria following the signing into law, a bill that criminalises same sex relationships in the country.
Confusion has continued to trail the attack on Mr Obed Afeyukhiamen Akhere who narrowly escaped lynching recently, in Lagos.
Mr Obed was said to have been abducted and beaten by a group of youths who suspected him of indulging in a same sex relationship with his friend, Yan but was rescued by kind-hearted Nigerians.
Our findings revealed that Obed, who hailed from Ewosa in Edo State but resides in Lagos has been in hiding since the last time he was attack.
When our correspondent visited Mr Obed’s residence in a Lagos suburb, the victim was not found at home. However, our correspondent was fortunate to meet with the his wife, Mrs Victoria Akhere who could not hold back her emotions.
She confirmed the attack on her husband, stressing that he was innocent of the allegations. According to her, Mr Obed was being framed by one Mr. Innocent Udoh and maintained that Mr Yan who was accused of having amorous relationship with her husband was his manager and not sex partner.
Mrs Akhere explained that her husband ran away from home for fear of being arrested by the police who has been on his trail since the last attack on him.
“As a result of the continuous police trail on him and the humiliation he suffered in the hands of people in this area, my husband has been on the run”, Mrs Obed explained stating that police officers have visited their house a couple of times to arrest him over his alleged involvement in homosexual activities.
As at the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the state’s police command and efforts to speak with the command’s spokesperson was unsuccessful. However, a police source told our reporter that the police was investigating the case and would bring to book any person found to have violated the laws.
In a chat with select journalists in Lagos, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, LGBT, activist disclosed that life has not been easy for her and her members in Nigeria following the criminalization of same sex relationship in the country.
The activist who begged that her identity be concealed to avoid harassment and arrest disclosed that Nigeria was no longer safe for the LGBT members due to their sexual orientation. According to her, this has made some of them to seek asylum in countries where their sexual standings was legally acceptable.
