President Jonathan Signs Anti-Gay Law,US Secretary Of State,Amnesty International And Others Condemn The Exercise.

A ban on gay marriage and gay clubs with penalties of up to 14 years jail was signed into law by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.According to disclosures made in Abuja on Monday.Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said Monday Goodluck Jonathan had signed the bill. The news agency Associated Press said it had obtained a copy dated Tuesday, January 7.

Condemnation

Immediate condemnation came from US Secretary of State Kerry, who said the new law "dangerously restricts freedom of assembly … and expression for all Nigerians."

Amnesty International had previously urged Jonathan to reject the bill, saying it would have "catastrophic" consequences for Nigeria's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Nigeria was breaking not just its own constitution but a raft of international agreements, said veteran gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

The executive director of the pro-gay Initiative for Equality in Nigeria, Olumide Makanjuola, recently warned that "poor, gay Nigerians" would suffer under the law.

Imprisonment if convicted

Nigeria's new Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill bans gay encounters and clubs and threatens public displays of same-sex relationships with up to 10 years in prison.

Persons who "enter into a same-sex marriage contract or civil union" face 14 years prison if convicted.

"Only a marriage contract between a man and a woman shall be recognized as valid in Nigeria," the new law states.

Widespread anti-gay sentiment

Anti-gay sentiment is rife in Nigeria and much of sub-Saharan Africa.

Abati said 90 percent of Nigerians were opposed to same-sex marriage. "So, the law is in line with our cultural and religious beliefs as a people," he said.

Of Nigeria's 170-million population, roughly half are Christian and half Muslim. Others follow traditional religious beliefs.

Reuters said the news of the bill's signing, provoked much anti-gay invective on Nigerian social media networks, but there were also those who questioned the priorities of the government of Goodluck Jonathan, who has the acronym GEJ.

"I cannot believe GEJ took time to sign a bill into law jailing people for being gay. I don't have any electricity, dude!," one post read.

ipj/kms (AP, Reuters, AFP)