By Frank Ulom
A Nigerian national, Anyanwu Benjamin Ihedioha, has applied for international protection in Spain, alleging that he fled Nigeria after suffering years of persecution, violence and discrimination because of his sexual orientation.
In a detailed statement submitted as part of his asylum application, Ihedioha said he fears returning to Nigeria, claiming he faces threats to his life after being attacked, ostracised by his community and permanently banished by traditional authorities.
According to the applicant, he is an indigene of Chokoneze in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. He stated that he realised he was homosexual while in senior secondary school at the age of 17 but kept his sexual orientation secret because of widespread social stigma, cultural rejection and Nigeria’s laws criminalising same-sex relationships.
He explained that after confiding in a classmate, he met other young men with similar experiences, and they maintained their relationships discreetly throughout their university education by keeping their private lives hidden.
However, he said the situation became increasingly difficult after graduating from university and completing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). According to him, relatives and members of his community became suspicious because he remained unmarried, forcing him to relocate repeatedly across different parts of Nigeria in an effort to avoid being identified.
Ihedioha alleged that the turning point came in January 2023 when he travelled home for the Christmas and New Year celebrations and stayed with his partner at a guest house on the outskirts of Owerri.
He claimed that both men were violently attacked after their relationship was allegedly discovered.
According to his statement, he sustained severe injuries that left permanent scars and keloids on his neck and jawline, while his partner suffered machete wounds before escaping. He said he has neither seen nor heard from his partner since the incident and does not know his whereabouts.
The applicant further alleged that news of the attack spread rapidly throughout his community, exposing his sexual orientation and increasing hostility against him.
He also claimed that following the death of his father in August 2023, some relatives blamed him for worsening his father’s health because of the alleged shame associated with his sexual orientation and the attack.
According to him, he fled his community immediately after his father’s burial after receiving information that traditional rulers and youth leaders had resolved to banish him permanently and warned him never to return.
He said a respected family elder advised him against attempting to challenge the decision, warning that returning to the community could cost him his life.
The applicant further stated that another family member later sent him an email containing what he described as the community’s formal decision confirming his banishment.
Ihedioha also alleged that the hostility he experienced made it difficult to maintain stable employment, prompting him to use his private vehicle as a taxi to earn a living.
While living in Enugu, he said he became friends with a single mother of two children who supported him financially during a difficult period. According to him, the pair later entered into a traditional marriage, which he described as a mutual arrangement rather than a romantic relationship.
He said the marriage was intended to reduce suspicion surrounding his sexual orientation and provide a degree of protection from increasing hostility.
However, he claimed the arrangement failed to change public perception, alleging that rumours continued and his wife was frequently questioned about his private life.
As a result, he said he continued moving from one location to another within Nigeria because he no longer believed he could live safely.
The applicant stated that he eventually decided to leave Nigeria after concluding that his life was in danger. He also cited the country’s broader security challenges, including kidnappings and lawlessness, as factors that reinforced his decision.
According to the statement, he entered Europe legally on a Spanish tourist visa before travelling to France, citing psychological trauma from the alleged persecution and ongoing medical complications resulting from injuries sustained during the attack.
He said he later learnt about the European Union’s Dublin Regulation governing asylum claims and cooperated fully with French authorities before being transferred back to Spain to continue his application for international protection.
Ihedioha maintained that he fears returning to Nigeria because he believes he could face renewed attacks, imprisonment or death.
He further argued that he does not believe he could obtain effective protection from Nigerian authorities or safely relocate to another part of the country because, according to him, his circumstances are already widely known.
The applicant said he has submitted supporting documents to Spanish authorities, including what he described as the community’s banishment decision, a newspaper publication concerning his case, photographs showing injuries allegedly sustained during the attack and medical evidence relating to permanent keloids.
He has urged the Spanish authorities to grant him international protection, stating that returning to Nigeria would expose him to what he described as a serious risk to his life and freedom because of his sexual orientation.
Spanish authorities have not publicly commented on the application, and asylum claims are assessed individually under Spanish and international refugee protection laws.
Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, enacted in 2014, criminalises same-sex marriages and civil unions, while same-sex sexual relationships remain punishable under existing criminal laws in parts of the country. Human rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about discrimination, violence and social exclusion experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Nigeria, while Nigerian authorities maintain that the country’s laws reflect prevailing legal and cultural values.
