Man Still Wanted Over Years-Old Homosexuality Allegation, Police Record Shows

LAGOS, Nigeria — A man who left the country several years ago could still face arrest if he returns, according to a police record stemming from allegations of homosexual activity in 2020.

The case has attracted renewed attention amid reports that authorities have continued seeking information about his whereabouts.

A police report dated October 15, 2020, states that efforts would be made to re-arrest Daminabo Peterside should he return to Nigeria and that his case file was being retained for further action.

The document, originating from the Legal and Prosecution Section of the Office of the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, records Peterside as having failed to return for further investigation after being released on administrative bail.

It states that officers initially took him into custody on August 30, 2020, after encountering him near the Okrika Waterfront in Port Harcourt, where a crowd had accused him of homosexual activity.

According to the report, another man alleged to have been involved escaped from the scene.

A separate report provides further details about the aftermath of the August 2020 confrontation. It states that Peterside was given urgent medical attention after suffering injuries during an assault by a group of youths.

Medical personnel recorded bleeding from his ear and nose, bruising and swelling across several parts of his body, as well as injuries described as consistent with blunt-force trauma.

Police records state that Peterside was subsequently expected to report back to authorities as the investigation continued. When he failed to do so, investigators later concluded that he had left Nigeria.

Same-Sex Conduct Remains Criminalized

The prospect of arrest is significant because Nigeria continues to maintain some of Africa’s most restrictive laws governing same-sex relationships.

Under Section 214 of the Criminal Code Act, certain same-sex sexual conduct can carry a prison sentence of up to 14 years. Separate legislation also criminalizes same-sex unions and a range of activities associated with LGBT organizations and relationships.

Recent international assessments indicate that arrests, discrimination and other abuses against LGBT people continue to be reported across the country.

Human Rights Watch, in its World Report 2026, cited research documenting 556 incidents affecting 850 LGBT people across 29 Nigerian states during 2025. Reported abuses included assaults, blackmail and extortion, with state officials implicated in some incidents.

The European Union Agency for Asylum has similarly reported that Nigerian law continues to criminalize same-sex relationships and that LGBT people face discrimination and violence connected to their actual or perceived sexual orientation.

A 2025 assessment published by the British government noted that Nigerian organizations have documented arrests for alleged offences connected to actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Human Dignity Trust also reported in 2026 that same-sex sexual activity remains criminalized in Nigeria, with penalties reaching 14 years’ imprisonment under applicable federal legislation.

The legal framework differs in parts of northern Nigeria, where Sharia-based criminal provisions operate alongside other laws and can impose substantially harsher penalties.

Risk Not Confined to Rivers State

Although the allegation against Peterside originated in Port Harcourt, the police document raises broader questions about the consequences he could face if he settled elsewhere in Nigeria.

Family sources maintain that the outstanding case would leave him vulnerable to arrest if he attempted to settle again in Lagos or another part of the country.

Significantly, the police report was issued through police authorities in Lagos and states that efforts were being made to effect Peterside’s re-arrest should he return to Nigeria, without limiting that action to Rivers State.

Relatives in Port Harcourt have meanwhile reported difficulties of their own arising from the case. Family members have alleged that community youths threatened and intimidated the household while demanding information about Peterside’s whereabouts, with his mother among those reportedly subjected to harassment.

Nearly six years after the original incident, there is no indication in the records reviewed that the case was formally closed or that the stated intention to seek Peterside’s re-arrest was withdrawn.

Against a legal environment in which same-sex conduct remains criminalized and rights organizations continue to document arrests, discrimination and violence involving people who are LGBT or perceived to be LGBT, Peterside’s family says the consequences of returning could extend beyond the social hostility surrounding the original allegations to possible detention and prosecution under the unresolved police case.