Senate Outlaws same-sex Marriage

The Senate on Tuesday approved a penalty of 14 years imprisonment for any person who enters into same sex marriage contract or civil union in Nigeria.

This followed the third reading of the bill for an Act to prohibit solemnisation of marriage between members of the same sex sponsored by Sen. Domingo Obende and 24 other Senators.

The bill was passed after the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters at the floor of the Senate.

The Senate also approved that any person who witnesses, abets or aids the solemnisation of same sex-marriage was liable to a jail term of 10 years.

The bill further specified that any person or group that registers or operates a gay club was liable to 10 years imprisonment.?

The bill was read for the first time at the floor of the Senate on 13, July 2011.

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