By Akinsuroju Olubunmi
Kano Hisbah official arrested for LGBTQ comments
Idris Ahmed Gama, a staff member of the Kano State Hisbah Board, has been detained for speaking out against the recent arrests of LGBTQ members. The Commander General of the Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, shared this news with reporters in Kano on Monday.
According to Daurawa, the state government has prohibited any groups or associations that support LGBTQ causes. He explained that many organizations promoting LGBTQ rights have been shut down in the state, which strictly adheres to Sharia law and Nigerian legislation against same-sex relationships.
The Commander-General called on the community, including religious leaders, traditional heads, and the media, to actively oppose what he described as immoral activities. Gama, who was arrested, clarified that he attended a workshop on women’s rights hosted by the Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE), where he was interviewed about the police’s actions against LGBTQ members.
Gama denied any affiliation with LGBTQ advocacy, stating he only expressed his personal views on human rights. He has requested leniency and vowed to cease any association with WISE.
Sources revealed that WISE’s Kano office has been shut down and its members are currently missing. The Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act of 2013 criminalizes same-sex unions and benefits in Nigeria.
The Kano State Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, announced on Monday that a crackdown on all LGBTQ-promoting organizations in the state is underway, describing WISE’s activities as a breach of Sharia principles and moral standards.
Kano Hisbah Official Arrested for LGBTQ Comments