Amnesty: Gays arrested in 5 Nigerian states
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Amnesty International says Nigerian police have arrested 10 people suspected of being gay in four majority Christian southern states in the highly religious nation.
It says the arrests follow President Goodluck Jonathan's signing of a law outlawing gay organizations and meetings as well as same-sex marriage.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that 38 "gay suspects" have been arrested in the mostly Muslim northern state of Bauchi since Christmas. Amnesty says police in Bauchi are keeping suspected gay people under surveillance.
Nigerian human rights defenders say they fear further persecution of gay people under the law in a notoriously corrupt country where police are known to make arrests to extort money and blackmail victims.
Jonathan signed the law, which includes penalties of up to 14 years in prison, over international condemnation.
