Five arrested in Nigeria in 'gay hideout'

2021-07-13 19:45:05

Islamic police in Kano in northern Nigeria have arrested five men accused of breaking laws on homosexuality. Same-sex relationships are illegal across Nigeria under secular laws, and also prohibited under Sharia in about a dozen northern Nigerian states including Kano. The Islamic Police Board in Kano said they had raided a "hideout" in the Kumbotso area after receiving "complaints" about the young men. If found guilty, they could be jailed for 14 years - under secular law - or face the death penalty - under Sharia. Arrests and prosecutions of the LGBTQ community in Nigeria have increased, since new legislation was introduced in 2014. Convictions are rare.