Recently in the Nigerian news space, a social media influencer, “VeryDarkMan”, called out a popular Cross-dresser, “Bob Risky”, for being gay and also called for his arrest by the Nigeria Police Force, according to Nigeria’s Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (anti-gay law) of 2014 which was signed by former President Goodluck Jonathan, a year before leaving office.
Bob Risky claims to be a Cross-dresser, and not a homosexual, but has however posted many videos on his Instagram page that are sexual in nature, and suggestive that he is in a relationship with another man; he is a male that cross-dresses as a female, and also demands that he is referred to as a She/Her.
Bob Risky was later arrested by Nigeria’s Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges bordering on abuse of the country’s currency notes, to which he has pled guilty. He has still not been arrested by the Nigeria Police in light of the allegations by VeryDarkMan.
GACLI Nigeria wishes to point out that this is what happens when sufficient thought is not applied before draconian laws like the anti-gay law of 2014 are put in place by governments. In a country like Nigeria where there have been incessant cases of Police brutality and abuse against citizens, culminating in the nationwide EndSARS protests of October 2020, the anti-gay law of 2014 has given the Nigerian Police the leeway to harass and intimidate Nigerians on trumped-up charges of being homosexuals.
In August 2023, about 100 young men were arrested at an open “All White Party” in Warri, Delta State of Nigeria. Although no acts of homosexuality were being carried out, they were summarily arrested and paraded before newsmen. Another Police Raid took place in Maiduguri, Borno State of Nigeria in October 2023, with the Police claiming that a gay wedding was intended to take place at the birthday gathering of over 70 men.
It does not end with the Police, as there have been cases of citizens harming individuals suspected or alleged to be homosexuals. Such cases usually go unreported and the Police turn a blind eye.
At GACLI Nigeria, we believe in, and promote the respect of human dignity and individual Liberty. We also condemn selective law enforcement, biased judgement, and disregard for the rule of law. We hope that the recent case of VeryDarkMan and Bob Risky will showcase the absurdity of the anti-gay law of 2014, especially as it has failed to achieve any tangible objective since inception.
Bob Risky and other open Cross-dressers, including those arrested in various parts of the country cannot be said to have contributed to the various malaise Nigeria is going through.
The Nigeria Police Force can focus on arresting those contributing to the economic sabotage of the country, including those found out to be aiding smuggling as revealed by Investigative Journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, in his latest investigation found here.
We also hope our legislators would see the dangers of the anti-gay law 2014 to Human Rights and Freedom, and do the right thing to abrogate this law that has neither checked nor balanced our society in any way.
You can read a comprehensive Human Rights Watch report here.