Fear grips Nigeria's LGBTQ+ community after popular cross-dresser killed

LGBTQ+ activists in Nigeria are raising concerns about their safety after a popular cross-dresser was killed Thursday in the capital. Police have launched a probe into the killing, which activists say is one of many cases recorded in recent weeks.

Franklin Ejiogu is trying to come to terms with the tragedy that struck early Thursday -- his friend, a Nigerian cross-dresser known as the "Abuja Area Mama," was killed by unknown attackers.

Area Mama's body was found by the roadside. Ejiogu says it's not clear how the events unfolded, but the cross-dresser had a gunshot wound to his head.

He blames a recent surge in fatal attacks on LGBTQ+ people on the signing of the so-called Samoa Agreement by Nigerian authorities.

"What actually pushed up these hate crimes is the signing of this Samoa Agreement. Media houses in Nigeria broke news that Nigerian government was encouraging LGBTQ+ movement in Nigeria and now the nonstate actors are now targeting the transgender community members and nonbinary people,” he said. “On Sunday, one transperson was lynched in Kogi state and on Monday, another transperson was also lynched."

Ejiogu is the founder of Nigeria’s Creme De la Creme, a trans and nonbinary peoples' support organization. He says they've been issuing security warnings to community members on an online forum, and that’s where he hears about attacks.

Nigerian authorities signed the controversial Samoa Agreement, a pact between the EU and 79 other countries, including African, Caribbean and Pacific nations, on June 28.

Authorities say the agreement aims to strengthen partnerships for democratic norms and human rights as well as promote economic growth and development.

But critics, including members of parliament, said the deal needs to be clearer on clauses that promote gender rights.

Nigerian police have launched a probe into Area Mama's killing.

Abuja police spokesperson Josephine Adeh did not reply to VOA's request for comment.

But LGBTQ+ activist Promise Ohiri, known as Empress Cookie, said such a killing, if not punished, will embolden more homophobic crimes.

"This is a gateway to uncivilized injustices against the queer community especially the trans community, phobic people attacking us, start killing us illegally in a way that is not acceptable or even following the laws that criminalizes us,” Ohiri said. “We're really scared."

Nigeria's national law punishes same-sex relationships by up to 14 years in jail. And in the more conservative Muslim north, it could lead to a death sentence under sharia law.

In 2022, Nigerian authorities tried to enact a law to criminalize crossdressing, but the law was suspended following protests.

Months ago, Area Mama appeared in a viral video, saying he’d been targeted by a mob and injured with a machete.

Empress Cookie called for justice, saying, “This person that was murdered was human, and they need to give justice to this person. It's because Area Mama is a well-known person, that's why her own came to timeline and bloggers are posting it... but on a daily basis we're being killed."

More than 30 of Africa's 54 countries have laws criminalizing homosexuality. Many people, like Ejiogu and Empress Cookie, say they will continue to tread carefully.