Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the ban on homosexuality practice in Nigeria’s military formations in the country.
With the ban, all military personnel are now expressly prohibited from engaging in homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, and cross-dressing. They are also forbidden from other acts deemed contrary to the ethics of the armed forces.
The personnel are equally barred from body piercing, tattooing, disorderly behaviour, and drunkenness on or off duty.
According to source, the directive is contained in Section 26 of the revised Harmonized Armed Forces Terms and Conditions of Service. The document was signed by President Bola Tinubu on December 16, 2024.
A copy of the document partly read, “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. He/she is not to engage in 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. And an officer must not at any time be drunk whether on or off duty.”
The document also forbids the involvement of officers in amorous relationships with subordinates or their spouses.
It stated, “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.”
By the ban, military personnel are obligated to pay financial dues, including vehicle licenses and insurance on time. While they are prohibited from joining secret societies or political parties.
“An officer shall pay all just financial obligations in a proper and timely manner, especially those imposed by law and mutual contract. It is a very serious offence for an officer to be apprehended for failure to license or insure his vehicle, and other legal financial obligations. In the same vein, the issuance of a dud cheque constitutes an offence.
“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,” the document further added.
It also stated that having a private business, and misuse of government property for personal gain are prohibited for serving personnel.
It stated, “An officer shall not engage in private business. He shall not use or be allowed to use government property, his name, position and connection in any way with commercial enterprises outside employment. Or activity with or without compensation, which interfere or has the tendency of interfering with his official duty. Or which may be reasonably expected to bring discredit to the Service.
“An officer shall not accept gifts, favours, entertainments, etc, from officers junior to him in rank. Or from soldiers/ratings/airmen/airwomen,” the condition of service added.
The punishments or disciplinary measures against any personnel who violate the rules were, however, not stated.
source: Punch
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