A Nigerian woman, Victoria Ijeoma Opara, has narrated her alleged ordeal of persecution and threats to her life due to her sexual orientation, prompting her to flee the country in search of safety abroad.
In a personal account titled “My Story,” Opara explained that she was compelled to leave Nigeria after facing hostility as a bisexual woman, citing both societal and family pressures.
According to her, the situation escalated in December 2024 during a visit to her hometown of Amaorie Obibiezena, in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. She alleged that she and a female companion were caught in an intimate situation by a relative, which led to public humiliation and condemnation by members of her family and community.
She claimed that the incident attracted serious threats and persecution for engaging in what some community members described as culturally unacceptable behavior, labeling their actions as a taboo.
Opara further alleged that the situation worsened when she was later summoned back to the village for what she described as a “ritual cleansing” to appease the deities. She expressed fear over the nature of the proposed rites, claiming they involved harmful practices that could lead to her death.
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Fearing for her safety, she said she declined the summons and went into hiding with her child before eventually leaving the country with the support of her husband.
She also alleged continued threats from members of her community, who, according to her, warned that they would report her to law enforcement authorities over her sexual orientation, which remains a criminal offence under Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2014, carrying a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
Opara further stated that, fearing for her life, she fled the country and described her relocation as a turning point, saying it provided her and her daughter with a sense of safety and the freedom to live without fear of persecution or discrimination because of her sexual orientation.
Reflecting on her experience, she called for a society where individuals are not subjected to discrimination or harm because of their identity.
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