DSS Put on Alert as Group Plans Nationwide Debate on Same-Sex Marriage

The Ministry of Education has requested the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the Creative Africa Initiative, an organization proposing a nationwide debate on same-sex marriage.

In correspondence dated August 9, addressed to the director-general of the DSS, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, the Ministry’s permanent secretary, stated that the proposed debate titled, ‘Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legalized in Nigeria’, violates prevailing laws within the nation.

The permanent secretary accused the group of fabricating letters using the Ministry’s letterhead to suggest the debate.

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Nigeria’s Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA), enacted in 2014, forbids LGBT rights and criminalizes same-sex marriages.

In the letter reviewed by TheCable, the permanent secretary cautioned that the “divisive” debate topic could trigger public disorder, exacerbating tensions and divisions within the country.

“I write to bring to your attention a matter of urgent national concern. It has come to my notice that an organization, Creative Africa Initiative, has issued a letter not originating from the Federal Ministry of Education proposing to hold a national debate with the topic: ‘Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legalized in Nigeria’.

‘Given the sensitive nature of this topic, which is not only against the cultural and religious values of the majority of Nigerians but also contravenes existing Nigerian laws,” the letter reads.

“This initiative is capable of causing widespread confusion and potentially inciting unrest within the country.

“The introduction of such a topic into public discourse, especially through a formal debate, may have far-reaching consequences that could disrupt public peace and social cohesion.”