Nigeria bans military personnel from homosexuality, crossdressing

President Bola Tinubu has approved a ban on homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, and cross-dressing within the Nigerian Military, deeming these behaviors inconsistent with the ethical standards of the armed forces.

This is contained in Section 26 of the revised Harmonised Armed Forces Terms and Conditions of Service signed by President Bola Tinubu in December 2024.

The section reads in part: “An officer must not engage in homosexuality, lesbianism, and bestiality.

“He/she is not to belong to or engage in activities of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Trans, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual or Agender, Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) group and cross-dressing, amongst others.

“An officer must not engage in body piercing and tattooing of any part of his body. An officer shall not engage in any form of disorderly behaviour, brawl, or any action of public disgrace. An officer must not at any time be drunk whether on or off duty.”

The section further prohibits officers from engaging in amorous relationships with subordinates or their spouses.

“An officer shall not engage in any amorous relationship with any soldier/rating/airman/airwoman, fellow officer’s or soldier’s/rating’s/airmen’s/air women’s spouse, “ it stated.

Military personnel are also forbid to join secret societies or political parties.

“An officer shall not hold membership of any secret society or political party. He shall not participate, in any way, in activities concerned with such societies or parties even in observatory capacities.

“For the avoidance of doubt, since cultural or purely traditional religious societies are not normally secret by membership or in the conduct of their affairs, they are ipso-facto excluded from belonging to secret societies.”