UN won’t sanction Nigeria over anti-gay law

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke.

The United Nations will not take any action against Nigeria as a result of the law banning same-sex relationship and marriage in the country, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, said on Friday.

Pillay spoke at a news conference in Abuja shortly before the end of her visit to the country. In the course of her visit, she held discussions with several stakeholders in the human rights and justice sector, including the ministers of foreign affairs and justice, the National Security Adviser, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, officials of the National Human Rights Commission and members of the National Assembly committees on human rights.She was billed to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan later on Friday before leaving the country.

At the meetings with the ministers of foreign affairs and justice, Pillay had asked the Federal Government to review the Anti Same-Sex Marriage Act, which she said violated the statutes of the UN as well as the Nigerian Constitution.

But the Federal Government, through Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Aminu Wali, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, informed her that the law will not be repealed.

During the question and answer session at the news conference on Friday, which held at the Transcorp Hilton, Pillay was asked to state what the UN would do to ensure that the Nigerian government bows to its opposition to the anti-gay law. The UN High Commissioner said that beyond the expression of concerns, the UN would not take any action against the country.

“What is the UN doing about this?  I encourage a process of dialogue.

“The UN will not take any action against this law except to express concern,” she said.

Apparently referring to the argument advanced by Federal Government officials, who stressed that same-sex  relationship and marriage are contrary to the culture and beliefs of Nigerians, Pillay noted that gay rights conformed to universal  standards.