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More than 40 men have been arrested in Nigeria over the weekend
for performing homosexual acts, police say.

They are due to appear in court later.

Nigerian newspaper Punch reports that the police raided a hotel
in Lagos State on Saturday afternoon and says the hotel was
cordoned off while the investigation was carried out.

Homosexual acts are punishable by up to 14 years in jail in
Nigeria, while gay marriage and displays of same-sex affection
are also banned.

Africa Live: More on this and other stories

The event that was raided was to raise awareness about HIV
testing in the gay community in Lagos, activist for gay rights
in Nigeria Bisi Alimi told the BBC.

Living in fear

Chris Ewokor, BBC Africa, Abuja

Nigeria has an influential Christian evangelical movement in the
south and strong support for Islamic law in the north, both of
which oppose homosexuality.

Since Nigeria passed a law criminalising same sex marriage and
gay organisations in 2013, law enforcement agents have cracked
down on people suspected of homosexuality. However, arrests are
infrequent as homosexual people live in hiding.

Gay people live in fear and cannot openly express their sexual
orientation. They are not protected by any law so they face
discrimination.

Northern states under Sharia - Islamic religious law - have the
death penalty for people convicted of same-sex offences which in
other states carry a 14-year jail term.

This is not the first arrest for engaging in acts of
homosexuality but so far prosecutions have never ended in prison.

Grey line
Same-sex relations are explicitly banned in 72 countries,
according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and
Intersex Association (ILGA).

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-40774930
 

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