Stephanie Clems, Umuahia.

Homosexuality is an old practice which was initially considered a taboo in the past before some countries like the United States of America and parts of Europe legalised it.

Within 2025, various issues bothering on same sex relationships were reported across Nigeria.

In Abia State, people speculated about individuals sexuality at various times because of their dress sense or their body structure.

Sometimes, these speculations turned out to be true, yet also false alarm at other times.

As the year winds down, CSUNews examines how in 2025, personal choices worked at cross purposes with the nation’s law and communities’ traditions with regards to homosexuality.

We asked a cross section of residents of Abia State of their impressions about lesbianism, gay and same sex marriage.

Nearly every one interviewed exhibited knowledge of the law that prohibits same sex union and recommends penalty for offenders.

They’re equally aware that it is a “taboo” in many cultures across the country.

Mr. Kelechi Thompson, a native of Ezea in Ebonyi State but resident in Aba narrates how his community punished a same sex couple found in their “love nest” which happened to be an uncompleted building.

“It is an abomination. How can two men be together ? This is unheard of,“ he lamented.

According to Mr. Thompson, those who first saw them leave the uncompleted building holding hands as lovers would while kissing on the road, stripped both naked and dragged them to the village head.

The village head according to him ordered that they both be flogged while still naked.

“It did not end there, because after the beating, they were handed over to the police, you know the law is against it.

“However, after they were granted bail on their first appearance in court, one of them jumped bail and is still at large while his partner is still being tried in court,” he said.

Like Mr. Thompson, Mr. Onwuka Ijebuonwu believes people should live by their customs as he gives an insight into what his community in Afara would do to such persons if caught in the act.These are typical mind-sets of many citizens concerning LGBTQ which have caused those with such sexual orientation to hide perpetually while living in the country or flee the country as the last resort.

The human rights advocates and activists appear handicapped with the law and so cannot protect those who have become or perceived victims of the law and culture .

Mrs. Lizzy Ugwum during an interview shared how someone she knew but never understood her sexual orientation was allegedly forced to run away after she was caught with her partner by her husband.

The people mete out corporal punishments in most cases before handing the perceived culprits over to the law enforcers.

The law prescribed a 14 year jail term for anyone found guilty of the offence, but fears are that those involved in the act may suffer being lynched even before the matter goes to court.

Some enlightened citizens of Nigeria may argue that the people have their lives to live, but the reality is that the Nigerian law with its culture and religions may never take lightly issues of homosexuality, hence the safety of gay people and lesbians is not guaranteed in the country.

.It does not also look like the nation is interested in reviewing the anti gay law any time soon.

Stephanie Clems, Umuahia

A Kenyan high court sitting in Nairobi has declared the 2021 rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as unlawful, unconstitutional and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights under Kenyan and international law.

The court also awarded the sum of Kshs10,000,000 in compensation to Mazi Kanu’s family against the Kenyan attorney general on behalf of the Kenyan government.

The court ruled that Many who should have been in the care and protection of the Kenyan government was abused and his rights trampled upon.Mazi Kanu has since 2021, been in detention in Nigeria following his unlawful extradition by the Kenyan government.Meanwhile the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) has hailed the Kenyan court verdict, describing it as “a crushing blow to Nigeria’s lies and international lawlessness”.

In a statement by the spokesperson of IPOB, Emma Powerful, the group holds that it had been vindicated on its claim that the Kenyan incident was a rendition and not an extradition.

The statement also cast aspersions on the former presidents of Kenya and Nigeria who were in power as if the time of Mazi Kanu’s extradition in 2021.

Below is the full text of the statement :

It further commended the lead counsel to Mazi Kanu, Prof. Lumumba KENYAN HIGH COURT DECLARES THE RENDITION OF MAZI NNAMDI KANU ILLEGAL: A CRUSHING BLOW TO NIGERIA’S LIES AND INTERNATIONAL LAWLESSNESSThe Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wishes to formally announce a resounding judicial earthquake that has shaken the legal foundations of the fraudulent rendition of our leader, ONYENDU Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. In a historic, courageous, and landmark judgement delivered on June 24, 2025, the High Court of Kenya, sitting in Nairobi, found that the abduction, incommunicado detention, torture, and illegal transfer of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 was unlawful, unconstitutional, and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights under Kenyan and international law.This judgement vindicates our consistent position that what transpired in Nairobi in June 2021 was not extradition but extraordinary rendition — a criminal act of state-sponsored international terrorism involving the highest authorities of the Nigerian and Kenyan governments.We are grateful beyond measure to the brilliant legal leadership of Professor PLO Lumumba, lead counsel in the Kenyan litigation, whose courage, clarity, and tenacity led to this monumental legal victory. IPOB also extends heartfelt appreciation to the Kenyan judiciary, especially Hon. Justice E.C. Mwita, who stood tall against ferocious political interference and international diplomatic pressure to deliver a fearless judgement grounded in law, morality, and constitutional justice.We know, and now the world must acknowledge, that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not commit any crime in Kenya. He entered Kenya lawfully as a British citizen. He was abducted in broad daylight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by agents of Nigeria’s secret police in collusion with rogue elements of the Kenyan security apparatus. He was chained, tortured, denied medication, and eventually bundled onto a private jet and flown illegally to Abuja without any extradition hearing or judicial warrant.The judgment held the Kenyan government liable for violations of Mazi Kanu’s rights, awarding compensatory damages of 10 million Kenyan shillings, a mere token of the monumental injustice inflicted but a massive blow to Nigeria’s false narrative. The court found that:Mazi Kanu was abducted without any lawful cause;He was tortured and detained incommunicado in violation of the Kenyan Constitution;His removal from Kenya was unconstitutional and illegal;The Kenyan government was complicit in the illegal operation in concert with the Nigerian government.This verdict places a permanent and indelible legal stain on the records of former presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, ‘Muhammadu Buhari’ of Nigeria and former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, and their accomplices. It also exposes the criminal lobbying missions embarked upon by Nigerian leaders — from ‘Buhari’, Osinbajo, to Tinubu and Shettima — all of whom tried and failed to manipulate Kenya’s judiciary to cover up this internationally condemned act of extraordinary rendition.Let it be known that this is not the end. This is the beginning of a global accountability campaign. All those responsible — in Kenya, Nigeria, or elsewhere — shall be pursued to the ends of the earth under the universal principle of accountability for crimes against humanity. Neither British diplomatic complicity nor cowardly silence from Western powers will shield the perpetrators from the legal, diplomatic, and moral reckoning that is coming.To Justice E.C. Mwita, we say thank you for your judicial bravery. To Professor PLO Lumumba and his team, we salute your exceptional advocacy. To the oppressed peoples of the world, this is your victory — a warning to tyrants that international borders will no longer shield criminal regimes from justice.To the Nigerian judiciary, let this be a mirror: Justice is not an act of cowardice, but of courage.The world now knows the truth.Kenya has spoken.Justice is rising.SignedEmma PowerfulSpokesperson for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)For immediate and global circulation

By Editor, Umuahia

Today, Saturday 7th June 2025, a remarkable woman, Late Elder Mrs. Chinyere Margaret Ukeagu, fondly known as Mama CONNAK will be laid to rest.

A release by her family says her body will depart the Federal Medical Centre Mortuary, Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, for the funeral service at the Umuahia Township Stadium by 7:30 AM Saturday morning.

Thereafter, it will proceed to Umuegwu Okpuala, and finally the family compound for interment

Entertainment will be at Williams Memorial Secondary School, Afugiri, Umuahia North LGA, Abia State, scheduled for 2:00 PM.

This marks the culmination of a month-long journey of farewell that began in Port Harcourt, went through Abuja, and has now returned home to Abia State.

Indeed, an icon has departed this world. Her legacy of love, faith, and service lives on.

She will be deeply missed by all who knew her, those who were touched by her benevolence and all who loved her.

May her soul rest in perfect peace.

#Mamaconnakforever