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(Lagos, Nigeria) An Islamic court has issued an arrest warrant for a middle-aged man accused of having gay sex. If caught and convicted the Sharia court in Keffi could sentence him to death by stoning

The warrant was issued for Michael Ifediora Nwokoma after neighbors alleged he was gay and was having sex with with another man. That person was identified in the Nigerian media as a local businessman named Mallam Abdullahi Ibrahim.

Ibrahim was charged but Nwokoma escaped before police could arrest him.

Press reports say that Ibrahim was nearly lynched by police in the process of getting him to confess. He was spared only when the district commander intervened.

He is charged with the “unholy” act of "homosexualism". If convicted Ibrahim also could face death by stoning.

Sharia courts have a wide latitude in Nigeria and usually exact the maximum penalties under strict Islamic law.

Ibrahim remains in jail until police find Nwokomah. The court ruled that until Nwokomah is arrested Ibrahim cannot be tried. The court decided that no mater how long it takes to find Nwokomah, Ibrahim will remain behind bars.

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So can someone explain to me why, in light of what's going on in this story (which is not a first out of Nigeria), we are still doing THIS??

[ 29 November 2004: Message edited by: Hephaestion ]

[ 29 November 2004: Message edited by: Hephaestion ]

We've discussed here several earlier cases of death sentences imposed by sharia courts (in the northern provinces?) on young women who were raped or maybe had extramarital sex voluntarily (it's often difficult to tell, and the two seem to be equated by some of the nasty bosses).

I think that we continue to intervene in Nigeria because we are hoping for liberalizing forces to prevail. I believe that the situation is complicated, but there is reason to hope.

[ 29 November 2004: Message edited by: NDP Newbie ]

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Originally posted by skdadl:
I think that we continue to intervene in Nigeria because we are hoping for liberalizing forces to prevail. I believe that the situation is complicated, but there is reason to hope.

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WADR, 'dadl, you're talking about "engagement" as a means of bringing about positive change. Heard it before.That's the same rationale for "business as usual" with China, and while China is definitely adopting some capitalistic tendencies, "egagement" hasn't appeared to accomplish very damn much when it comes to human rights abuses.

OTOH, Canada spearheaded an international boycott of S. Africa over Apartheid (one of the few decent things Mulroney everdid) and we can see a definite improvement in democracy there.

It depends on whether you are attempting to change the people or change the government. If you are trying to change a despotic government, then depriving it of aid might work. But here I suggest what you are really trying to do is change the people. In that case is cutting off aid really a good idea?

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Mr Magoo, I don't believe that "the government" does support these sentences.

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They're either outlawing them or they support them. Or they've surrended the process of enforcing law to the mob.

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If anyone wants to know more, rather than just to spout off about our wasted foreign aid, might I suggest Google?

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Who said anything about wasting? It's not about saving some bucks, it's about telling Nigeria, and any other country that wants to stone men and women to death for "offending" some deity, that we won't support them if they don't stop it, immediately.

Googling the story, there seems to be no real credible source. (365gay must have uncritically reported it).

A few weeks ago, there was also this story about a 13 year old girl in Iran who was allegedly sentenced to be stoned. (Her name is Zhila Izadi, also reported as Jiila Izadi).

More or less the same source, "Dhimmiwhatch". A well known extreme right wing e-mag.

The story just fizzled, as people started inquiring with the very sources as to Why this story has not been picked up by any "mainstream" (in the sense of well known) media or any known human rights organization.

[ 30 November 2004: Message edited by: lacabombi ]