The Same-Sex Prohibition (Act) lists marriage or civil unions between people of the same sex, registration, support, membership of gay clubs, public show of same-sex amorous relationship and related matters. In line with this, a tweet shared on June 6, 2021, claims to show suspected offenders of this law in Kaduna state.
Kaduna State Police command raided a private venue in kafanchan where same-sex marriage operation is ongoing. The officers arrested 100s of the attendees (Kattin banza)
Can u give around of applause👏 to Kaduna State Police pic.twitter.com/oJJLnScZvC
— Peace_man✍️ (@El__abdool) June 6, 2021
This post alleged that Kaduna state police arrested over 100 attendees of a same-sex marriage ceremony in a private event in Kafanchan town.
Background
Nigeria’s Same-Sex (Prohibition) Law imposes a 10 to 14-year jail term on anyone who violates this law.
Penalties for engaging in different activities described in this bill include 14 years imprisonment to anyone who enters into a contractual or civil union of the same sex.
Registering, operating, or participating in gay clubs, or societies and organizations, or directly or indirectly making a public show of the same-sex amorous relationship will have someone being imprisoned for 10 years.
Section 5 (3) of this law will have someone getting a 10-year jail term if they officiate a same-sex marriage or civil union.
Verification
From the first image, results from a reverse image search show that these same images were shared on Facebook on June 1 2021. From this post, police in Nansana, Kampala, arrested almost forty men who were allegedly organizing a gay wedding.
Luke Oweyesigyire, Kampala’s Metropolitan police deputy spokesperson said that, with a tip-off from members of the public, they were able to arrest 38 men and 6 women during the crackdown. Most of the men arrested were dressed as women with wigs and make-up, just like the ones in these photos.
Results from the second image show that the same photo was shared on Facebook by Eiraka Radio Online on June 2, 2021. This post, just like the first one, shows all the four images featured under these claims.
Additionally, results from the third image show that it was posted on Facebook on June 2, 2021.
The Nile Post published an article on June 1, 2021, on this crackdown. Those arrested were charged with violating the COVID-19 protocols set by Uganda’s ministry of health.
Uganda’s Sexual Offences Bill passed in May 3, 2021, criminalizes consensual sex between people of the same gender, imposing a 10-year jail term to anyone found breaking this law.
Earlier before this, in 2014, Uganda had first criminalized homosexuality and imposed life imprisonment on violators of this law. However, following a petition by gay rights advocates, President Museveni lifted this ban on grounds that this law would attract ‘foreign policy implications.’
The earliest results from the fact-check show that these images were shared on June 1, 2021, in Nansana, Uganda.
Verdict
These images of people attending a same-sex wedding ceremony were not taken in Kaduna state, Nigeria as FALSELY claimed.
This story was produced by Africa Uncensored in partnership with Code for Africa with support from Deutsche Welle Akademie.
Yes. The police raided the same sex marriage in Nigeria