ABUJA
— THE Senate, yesterday, passed the Same Sex Marriage bill prohibiting
all marriages between man and man and between woman and woman.
The
bill sponsored by Senator Magnus Abe, PDP, Rivers, prescribes 14 years
jail term for anybody convicted of contracting marriage between same
sex.
It
also prescribed 10 years for anybody convicted of aiding and abetting
the contraction of same sex marriage in Nigeria and also nullifies
certificate of same sex marriage contracted outside the shores of
Nigeria. The new law also kicked against the operation of gay clubs in
Nigeria as it provides for 10 years jail term without option of fine for
anybody guilty of operating gay club within the country.
Senate
President, David Mark, in his remark after the passage of the law
stressed that the practice of same sex marriage violates Nigeria’s
traditions and customs.
He
said the Senate will not be cowed into passing laws that go against the
belief of the country by western countries that threatened to stop aids
to Nigeria on account of the Senate outlawing homosexuals and
lesbianism in Nigeria.
Mark
said: “If there is any country that wants to stop giving us aid because
we want to pass the bill on same sex, that country can go ahead. We are
a sovereign nation and we have the rights to decide for ourselves
because no country can interfere in the way we run our country. Same sex
marriage is against our own culture and tradition and against our
beliefs.”
Section
3 of the bill reads: “Only marriage contracted between a man and a
woman either under Islamic law, Customary law or Marriage Act is
recognized as valid in Nigeria.”
Registration of gay clubs
Section
4 (1) which kicks against gay clubs reads: “The registration of gay
clubs, societies and organizations; their sustenance, processions and
meetings are hereby prohibited. (2) The public show of same sex amorous
relationship directly or indirectly is hereby prohibited.”
Section
1 (2) and (3) reads: “A marriage contract or civil union entered into
between persons of same sex is invalid and shall not be recognized as
entitled to the benefits of a valid marriage. (3) A marriage contract or
civil union entered into between persons of same sex by virtue of a
certificate issued by a foreign country shall be void in Nigeria, and
any benefits accruing there from by virtue of certificate shall not be
enforced by any court in Nigeria.”
The
law also banned solemnization of same sex marriage in churches and
mosques in Nigeria. Section 2 (1) of the bill provides: “Marriage or
civil union entered into between persons of same sex by virtue of a
certificate issued by a foreign country shall be void in Nigeria and any
benefits accruing there from by virtue of the certificate shall not be
enforced.”
Section
5 (1)(2)(3) which stipulates the penalties reads: “Persons who entered
into same sex marriage contract or civil union commit an offence and are
each liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.
“(2)
Any person who registers, operate or participates in gay clubs,
societies and organization or directly or indirectly make public show of
same amorous relationship in Nigeria commits an offence and shall each
be liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.
“(3)Any
person or group or persons that witness, abet and aids the
solemnization of a same sex marriage or civil sustenance of gay clubs,
societies, organization, process of meeting in Nigeria commits an
offence and shall be liable to conviction to a term of 10 years
imprisonment.”
Vanguard Nigeria
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