A Nigerian Army Lieutenant has been taken into custody for allegedly engaging in sexual misconduct and homosexual activities with his junior colleagues in Borno State. The accused, identified as Lieutenant Abubakar, was reportedly caught in the act in Bama, Borno State, last month.
According to military sources, the arrest was carried out by the military police attached to the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army. Investigations revealed that several junior soldiers accused the Lieutenant of molesting and coercing them into homosexual acts over a prolonged period.
“A serving officer was apprehended last month in Bama while forcing himself on a junior colleague. He was caught with incriminating evidence and is now being investigated by the 7th Division’s military police,” a source disclosed to Chronicles Reporters. Another source added, “Yes, it’s true. I don’t have all the details, but I saw him handcuffed and escorted by military police.”
A Captain in the army expressed concern over the rising cases of such misconduct, saying, “Homosexuality is becoming increasingly common among officers here. It’s alarming, but instead of addressing it openly, the authorities often choose to cover it up.”
Homosexuality is a criminal offense in Nigeria under the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act of 2013, which was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan. In the 12 Northern states practicing Shari’a law, the punishment for such acts is death by stoning.
Borno State, where the Lieutenant was arrested, is one of the states that enforce Shari’a law. The law applies to Muslims and individuals who voluntarily submit to the jurisdiction of Shari’a courts. However, under the secular criminal laws applicable in Southern Nigeria and other parts of the North, the maximum penalty for same-sex relations is 14 years’ imprisonment.
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