Nigeria’s LGBTQ+ Community Fears Surge in Violence After Popular Cross-Dresser’s Murder

Nigeria’s LGBTQ+ community is facing increased fears for their safety following the murder of a well-known cross-dresser in the capital city.

Police have launched an investigation into the killing, which activists claim is part of a troubling trend of violence against LGBTQ+ individuals.

The victim, known as “Abuja Area Mama,” was found dead by the roadside early Thursday with a gunshot wound to the head. Franklin Ejiogu, a friend of the deceased and founder of the support organization Creme De la Creme, expressed shock and distress over the incident.

Ejiogu attributes the rise in attacks on LGBTQ+ individuals to the recent signing of the Samoa Agreement by Nigerian authorities. This agreement, signed on June 28, aims to foster democratic norms and human rights but has faced criticism for its lack of clarity on gender rights issues.

“What actually pushed up these hate crimes is the signing of this Samoa Agreement,” Ejiogu said. He pointed out that media reports have suggested that the Nigerian government supports LGBTQ+ rights, which he believes has fueled hostility from nonstate actors. He also highlighted recent lynchings of transgender individuals in Kogi state as evidence of this growing threat.

The controversial Samoa Agreement involves a pact between the EU and 79 other countries, including several African, Caribbean, and Pacific nations. Critics argue that the agreement needs clearer provisions regarding gender rights.

The Nigerian police are investigating the murder of Area Mama, but no comments have been received from Abuja police spokesperson Josephine Adeh regarding the case.

LGBTQ+ activist Promise Ohiri, also known as Empress Cookie, warned that if the crime goes unpunished, it could embolden further homophobic violence. “This is a gateway to uncivilized injustices against the queer community,” Ohiri said. “We’re really scared.”

In Nigeria, same-sex relationships are punishable by up to 14 years in prison, and in the conservative Muslim north, they can result in a death sentence under sharia law. Despite protests, a proposed law to criminalize cross-dressing was suspended last year.

Ejiogu and other activists, including Empress Cookie, continue to call for justice and protection for the LGBTQ+ community amid rising threats. “This person that was murdered was human, and they need to give justice to this person,” Ohiri said.