Wanted: Nigerian Man, Ojebode Ife-Jah Akinsanmi, Sought Over Alleged Breach of LGBTQ Law
Ojebode Ife-Jah Akinsanmi, a Nigerian man, is reportedly wanted by security operatives for alleged involvement in bisexual activities that may contravene the country’s LGBTQ laws
On August 1st, 2019, Ojebode, a resident of Ile-Ife in Osun State, reportedly fled the state due to death threats from his uncle, Ojebode Akinwale, and other family members and neighbours who objected to his alleged bisexual activities, citing the family’s religious beliefs and customs and also government regulations that prohibit such behavior.
The Ojebode family had earlier alerted authorities to alleged harassment and intimidation by Ojebode Akinwale, the uncle of Ojebode Ife-Jah Akinsanmi, after discovering him and his partner engaging in same sex intimacy whilst still in a relationship with his female partner known to everyone within the family compound, which prompted Akinwale to seek redress and threaten Ife-Jah Akinsanmi to invite a mob action against him and a death penalty for contravening the family’s religious and cultural norms.
It is reported that the situation worsened into threats and persistent harassment on 31st July 2019 by Ojebode Akinwale, which led to Ojebode Ife-Jah being forced to flee the state in the early hours of August 1st, 2019 and eyewitness reports have it that he may have abandoned Nigeria and relocate to an undisclosed country
Exacerbating the situation are allegations that Ojebode’s LGBTQ community membership caught law enforcement’s attention, placing him on a watchlist.
Same-sex relationships in Nigeria remain criminalized by law, contributing to increased risks for individuals perceived as part of the LGBTQ community.
At the time of compiling this report, Ojebode’s family and the relevant authorities are still unable to confirm his whereabouts.
The authority requests that the general public assist in providing Ojebode’s location to the nearest police station as soon as possible; generous rewards are available for whistleblowers.
