REPORT: GAY NIGERIANS FLOOD EMBASSIES

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gay_nigerians_flooding_foreign_embassiesNigeria’s new extreme anti-gay law appears to be leading to panic within the country’s LGBT community. It’s being claimed that some foreign embassies in Lagos are being flooded by desperate gay and lesbian Nigerians seeking asylum.

According to the CAJ News Agency, foreign embassies in the country’s largest city, particularly those of the US, UK, Canada and Germany, have been “inundated” by individuals fearing they will be targeted and jailed because of their sexuality.

The news agency said that while these governments had not officially commented on an increase in asylum requests, sources within the US and the UK embassies had confirmed there had been a spike in visa applications over the last week.

No country has yet stated if it will accept LGBT asylum seekers from Nigeria since the law came into effect.

Not only was it confirmed earlier this month that President Goodluck Jonathan had signed the federal anti-gay law, but January has also seen a huge crackdown on gay people in Nigeria’s northern Muslim states that operate under Sharia law.

There are now reports that as many as 68 people have been arrested on homosexuality charges in the country.

The new draconian legislation jails anyone who enters into a same-sex marriage or is in same-sex relationship and anyone who supports or does not report a gay person to the state; with penalties of up to 14 years in prison.

Gay sex was already illegal under federal law; with a 14 year prison sentence. In the Muslim northern states, convicted gay people can be stoned to death.

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