Nigeria: Student beaten because roommate thinks he’s gay
A student at the University of Ilorin in Nigeria was severely beaten last month by fellow students after his roommate found messages that he exchanged with a male friend.
The incident reportedly occurred in February at the University of Ilorin in Nigeria’s Kwara State.
According to a witness who reported the incident to NoStringsNG, the victim, age 25, was a third-year university student named Ikedi [a pseudonym], who had been chatting by text messages on his phone with a male friend. He left the phone in a corner when he went to the bathroom. His roommate violated his right to privacy by picking up the phone and finding what the roommate concluded were erotic messages sent to another male. He alerted neighbors, who are also students.
The neighbors gathered and demanded that Ikedi tell them about the messages. He told them it was just a friendly chat, but they did not believe him.
Instead, they beat Ikedi with belts, brooms, and sticks, causing him great bodily harm. They also smashed his phone.
The incident was kept a secret from University of Ilorin authorities. Ikedi relocated from the neighborhood to continue his education at the University of Ilorin and avoid any further attacks.
Unfortunately, incidents like this are common in universities and high schools in Nigeria where students are beaten, blackmailed, extorted, bullied and even killed because of their real or perceived sexual orientation.
These are all crimes. Perpetrators should face the full wrath of the law. According to Section 351 of the Criminal Code, any person who unlawfully assaults another is guilty of a misdemeanor. The crime is punishable by imprisonment for one year.
Related articles:
- Nigerian police arrest campus leader of secret men’s group (November
- 14 Nigerian university students talk about being gay on campus (
- To hell (and back!) with a gay Nigerian student (January 2016, 76crimes.com)
