Nigeria is under International Pressure to Sign Gay Rights Bill ~Foreign Minister

Barely some weeks after the Nigerian senators passed the bill encouraging early child marriage, the minister for foreign affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru has come in the open while`interacting with diplomats on Friday that Nigeria is under real pressure from the international community to sign the gay rights bill into law.

United Kingdom was the first country that threatened Nigeria with economic sanctions and a closure to the flow of aid to the country. It was expressly joined by the United States

The minister stated that Nigeria has never tried to impose its culture on any country in the world and does not understand why pressure will be heavily mounted on it to accept what is not acceptable to the country and its people. He also hinted that Nigeria will longer tolerate foreign missions that intercede on their citizens' behalf not to face trial or be freed during trial whenever they bring in contraband goods or illegally ship unwanted items into the country.

Nigerians are still reacting with massive annoyance over the bill passed by the senate which they see as encouraging paedophiles and crimes against the girl-child. Senator Ahmad Sani Yerima from Zamfara, who married a 13-year old Egyptian girl much to the chagrin of many is the main sponsor and proponent of the bill.

The senate refused to amend the constitution in favour of local government autonomy as well as pass a bill that will sincerely criminalise corruption with specific jail terms as is in the cases of rape and homosexuality.