Police violence targeting LGBTIQ+ people in Nigeria: Advancing solutions for a 21st century challenge

Abstract

The Government of Nigeria passed the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA) in 2014, emboldening the human rights violations of LGBT Nigerians by state and nonstate actors. Nigerian police enforce morality laws that criminalize same-sex relations, but their role as perpetrators of violence has not been well studied. Using six-year (2014 to 2019) administrative data, this article investigates the severity, prevalence, and typology of police violence and abuse of LGBT Nigerians. Since SSMPA, violence against LGBT Nigerians has risen by 214 percent. Survivors frequently report arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention, invasion of privacy, physical assault and battery, and blackmail/extortion. This study is the first to present serial, cross-sectional findings of LGBT Nigerians’ experience with the police. Available administrative reports and data were synthesized to produce a general picture of the situation on the ground. Findings point to actionable social and policy recommendations that can be taken to promote police accountability and improve police-LGBT community relations.

Taking small steps: Sensitising the police through male sex workers’ community-led advocacy in Nairobi, Kenya

“…Police repression of male SWs is intensified by moral policing of gender and sexuality, which has been reported in other African countries in the context of sex work and lesbian (L), gay (G), bisexual (B) and transgender (T+) persons (e.g. Giwa et al, 2020). A recent study asserts that male SWs in Nairobi experience police violence differently from their female counterparts, and men are more often arrested and forced to pay bribes of money or sex (Aidsfonds-STI AIDS Netherlands, 2020).…”

Family, friendship, and strength among LGBTQ+ migrants in Cape Town, South Africa: A qualitative understanding

“…Seventeen countries in these regions criminalize same-sex sexual relations, with two explicitly criminalizing gender identities and expressions that do not adhere to cisgender norms (Giwa et al, 2020a; Mendos, 2019). Punishments range from fines to death (Giwa et al, 2020a; Gloppen & Rakner, 2020). Even in countries, such as Kenya and Namibia, where transgender individuals can legally change their names and gender markers, LGBTQ+ individuals are still persecuted and offered little to no legal protections (Chiam et al, 2017).…”

“…Notably, in 1996, SA was the first to explicitly prohibit gender and sexual orientation discrimination in its constitution (Cock, 2003) and has been the only African country to legalize same-sex marriage (Pew Research Center, 2019). This cannot be fully understood without acknowlegding the context of Western homonationalist agendas (see Chávez, 2015; Giwa et al, 2020a; Puar, 2007), which juxtapose “gay-friendly” countries against the perception that other countries, where rights for LGBTQ+ people are limited or nonexistent, are “backwards” and “oppressive.” In doing so, the extensive histories of oppression and persecution in these “exceptional” Western countries (e.g., United States, Canada, the United Kingdom) lose their salience. For SA, this means that its recent history and enduring legacy of apartheid (South African History Online, 2019) can be decentered in human rights discourse, since it gains a new, benevolent reputation as the first and only African country to allow same-sex marriage (Pew Research Center, 2019).…”

“…LGBTQþ human rights in Central, East, and Southern Africa The culturally diverse countries that comprise Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa tend to vary when it comes to LGBTQþ rights. Seventeen countries in these regions criminalize same-sex sexual relations, with two explicitly criminalizing gender identities and expressions that do not adhere to cisgender norms (Giwa et al, 2020a;Mendos, 2019). Punishments range from fines to death (Giwa et al, 2020a;Gloppen & Rakner, 2020).…”

Interrogating the Concept of ‘Community’ in Community Policing Operations in Nigeria

“…Also sexual orientations create social barriers among members of the same community and hinder willingness to contribute or participate in community developmental efforts. Gays and lesbians are often discriminated against in Nigeria, making it impossible for them to have a sense of belonging and ready to make any positive contributions in their communities (Giwa et al, 2020). Apart from immigration status, in Africa and Nigeria in particular, ethnic and religious affiliations affect the willingness of people to see themselves as members of their community and participation in community operations.…”