e won’t repeal anti-gay law, FG tells UN

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu
Wali, has told the United Nations that Nigeria will not
repeal the law banning same-sex relationship and
marriage.
He urged the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, who paid him a
courtesy visit on Thursday in Abuja, to accept
Nigeria’s position on same-sex marriage.
According to him, same-sex marriage is against
the way of life of Nigerians who have expressed
support for the government on the anti-gay law.
He said 99 per cent of Nigerians supported the anti-
gay law.
Wali said based on the culture and tradition of the
Nigerian people, they would never accept same-sex
marriage and relationship.
“With time, things may improve, but Nigeria is
fundamentally a very religious society and our
people cannot understand same-sex relationship.
“Personally too, I do not accept same-sex marriage
even though it conflicts with international norms on
human rights,” he said.
The minister chided some members of the
international community for making “a lot of noise”
after President Goodluck Jonathan approved the
law.
He said that Nigeria had always operated a legal
system that did not recognise same-sex marriage.
The minister cited the country’s common, Sharia
and customary laws as examples of the nation’s
laws that prohibited homosexuality.
He assured the UN chief that the law prohibiting
same-sex marriage in Nigeria would not allow
unnecessary prosecution of people.
The minister said that Nigeria had respect for
freedom of speech and human rights, adding that
“we have always had good records in all aspects of
human rights.”
On the Boko Haram insurgency, Wali said that the
Federal Government had consistently protected the
rights of insurgents captured during military
operations, even when they did not deserve such
protection.
Wali said there was no credible case of “extra-
judicial killings or summary executions” of
insurgents captured during military operations.
He said that the captured insurgents were in
various jails in the country, while some had been
subjected to prosecution.
Wali pledged Nigeria’s support for the UN Human
Rights Council resolution to end attacks,
harassment and reprisals against human rights
defenders.
The resolution was adopted in September 2013 by
the UNHRC.
Earlier, Pillay had said that the anti-gay law “is a
violation of the human rights enshrined in the
international covenant of civil and political rights. It
contravenes Africa’s charter and the Nigerian
constitution itself.”
She added that the UN was concerned with the
negative consequences the law would have on
some people.
Pillay argued that it might deter the affected
persons from taking up HIV education, treatment
and care facilities and also hindered government
and the civil society groups.
“I am seeking your good office to see some kind of
moratorium on prosecution at this moment. We can
do much more work to have all Nigerians respect
the human rights of all people, to respect diversity,
to promote values of tolerance, acceptance with
targeted training for law enforcement and other
things.”
Pillay, who noted that Nigeria had improved on
human rights protection, pointed out that the country
was still lagging behind in some of the human rights
reports.
“Nigeria is behind in many of its reports and I am
here to see how best we can support you in
catching up with those reports,” she said.
Citing the resolution adopted by the UN Council on
Human Rights in March 2013, she argued that the
use and abuse of national law to impair and
criminalise the work of human right defenders was
“a contravention of international law and must end.”