Violence and discrimination against LGBTI persons continues in Nigeria. The promulgation and continued implementation of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2013 and other laws has had a
negative effect on the already dire circumstances of LGBTI persons in Nigeria. Members of the community have suffered an increasing wave of arbitrary arrests, unlawful invasion of privacy, assault and battery, sexual violence and extortion, among other ills, since the signing of the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act in January 2014. The average citizen of Nigeria finds it very difficult to enjoy the protection of their rights and access to basic social services. For LGBTI persons or persons who are imputed to have LGBTI identity, they are faced with even more social isolation and discrimination by State and non-State actors. Public authorities whose roles are to protect and ensure the human rights of all citizens are, most times, at the forefront of this regime of terror, intimidation, intolerance and violence against members of the LGBTI community. The extreme intolerance, homophobia, bi-phobia and transphobia make it even more dangerous for LGBTI persons to reach out for help.
Hence, most human rights violations against them go unreported.
