Islamic Faithful Advocates For Harsher Punishment For Same-Sex Relationship

By Usman Bello

Obviously irked by the increasing spate of sexual immorality of same-sex partners in different parts of Nigeria, an Islamic worshipper and ardent conformist, has canvassed for a stronger penalty for anyone tried and convicted of same-sex relationship.

In what looked like a declaration of war, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, a resident of Effurun-Warri in Delta State told his audience in a recent political cum religious gathering that one of the reasons for the increasing state of moral decay in our society is what he described as the regime of same-sex relationship.

According to him, “gay practice, lesbianism, transgender, bisexuality and all such aberrations are constituting serious moral problems among our youths and as adults, parents and custodians of moral values, we cannot afford to look elsewhere when our society is decaying.”

He went further to say that even though the law against same-sex relationship in Nigeria prescribes about 14 years imprisonment on conviction, only a few have taken it seriously while a greater number of youths involved, do not give any attention to it. “They are unmindful of the law. They do not see the imprisonment as any serious deterrent as our judicial system is full of loopholes. I would rather advocate for a harsher punishment possibly death sentence on conviction because the practice of same-sex relationship is unholy. It defiles Allah’s temple which is our body”, he declared.

The meeting which was originally planned as a gathering of Islamic faithfuls desiring to engage in politics particularly the 2027 elections, later turned out to become more of a religious gathering of sort.

According to our correspondent who attended the meeting in company of some other invited journalists, Mallam Ibrahim who was rumoured to be interested in contesting for the Chairmanship of Uvwie Local Government Area in the next local government election spoke more like a cleric, anchoring his statements on morality.

In his words, no political office can produce a decent society if the youths of that society are morally degenerated. He harped so much on what he called “moral bankruptcy of the youths” and concluded that a situation where our political offices accommodate gays, lesbians and transgenders, creates an easy trip to societal destruction.

He went further to insist that if he has his way into any political office either at the local, state or federal level, he would use the opportunity to put more fight against same-sex relationship in Nigeria, as he argued that “14 years imprisonment is a child’s play.”