To Protect Herself, Children, Mother Of Two Flees Nigeria 

Reports indicate that a mother of two, Mrs Iyadunni Debayo Doherty, has left Nigeria after being threatened by her inlaws who intended to submit her two daughters to female genital mutilation for ritual purposes; coupled with the recent discovery that she has been involved in lesbianism.

Iyadunni, who was married to Babatunde Debayo-Doherty, had left Nigeria to the United States where she was reported to have crossed to Canada after discovering her planned asylum for safety may not be successful simply due to Trump immigration policies.

Now divorced, Iyaduni was said to have left with her two girls: Victoria Olayinka Debayo-Doherty and Caroline Moyinoluwa Debayo-Doherty. Since she left Nigeria, there have been efforts to get her arrested having been reported to the police who have been mandated by law across the country to arrest those involved in homosexuality.

Despite the fact that the traditional practice of FGM has become punishable offence in Nigeria, many families are still involved in the practice, most especially for ritual purposes. This, many believe, usually have a long lasting negative impact on the child – mentally and psychologically.

On January, 7th, 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan signed the same-sex marriage prohibition Bill into law. The main purpose of the law is to formally prohibit marriage between of the same sex; but the scope is wider as the law forbids any cohabitation between same-sex partners. The punishment for violators of the law include, among others, ten years imprisonment.

At the community level, according to an Executive Director of a Minna, Niger State NGO, ” vigilante groups have added homosexuality to their terms of reference. These groups are organized by community members, given authorisation by the community to maintain some sort of order and security”. As at the time of filing this report, all effort to reach Miss Iyadunni proved abortive.