A campaign group under the Bisi Alimi Foundation’s Rainbow Academy Programme, has called for the protection of the constitutional rights of LGBTIQ+ Nigerians like every other citizen.

It lamented that persistent violence, blackmail and extortion against LGBTQ+ persons continue despite existing protective provisions in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and in the various criminal laws of the federation.

The scholars said every Nigerian is entitled to the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution, stressing that no citizen should be subjected to kidnapping, torture, assault or unlawful detention because of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Its position follows growing concern over the prevalence of Kito, a Nigerian slang term describing organised schemes in which queer people, particularly gay men and transgender women, are lured into meetings, blackmailed, assaulted, unlawfully detained, threatened with exposure and, in some cases, killed.

According to a survey conducted by The Bisi Alimi Foundation involving 85 respondents, 95.3 per cent said they were aware of Kito, while 45.9 per cent disclosed that they had personally experienced a Kito attack.

The survey also found that 90.6 per cent identified Kito as blackmail and extortion, 75.3 per cent associated it with threats of being outed, while 69.4 per cent described it as the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

The campaign group argued that the acts that collectively constitute Kito are already criminal offences under Nigerian law and should be prosecuted as such.

Citing Section 365 of the Criminal Code, the group said: “Any person who unlawfully confines or detains another against their will or otherwise unlawfully deprives another of their personal liberty is guilty of a misdemeanour and liable to imprisonment for two years.”

It also cited Section 408 of the Criminal Code, which criminalises extortion through threats or accusations and prescribes a prison term of up to three years for offenders.

“No law justifies Kito-related violence, kidnapping or torture. While same-sex marriage is prohibited under Nigerian law, LGBTIQ+ identity itself, is not a criminal offence.

“The crimes associated with Kito including assault, unlawful detention, robbery, extortion and blackmail remain offences under Nigerian law and should be prosecuted without discrimination,” the group said.

The Rainbow Academy Scholars noted that despite these legal protections, many victims choose not to report attacks because of fear of stigma, exposure, harassment and further victimisation by law enforcement or the society.

Their findings align with TIERS 2024 Human Rights Violations Report, which documented 850 cases of human rights violations against LGBTIQ+ persons across 29 states.

Of these, 490 were allegedly committed by individuals or groups, while 46 involved security agencies.

Assault, blackmail and assault and battery ranked among the most common forms of abuse.

The Bisi foundation also referenced recent cases that have drawn public attention, including the 2024 killing of transgender woman; Ifeanyi Chukwu-Agah Benedict, popularly known as “Abuja Area Mama,” and the 2025 murder of 23-year-old University of Port Harcourt graduate Hilary Ikechukwu Emereole, who was allegedly lured, assaulted and thrown from a building because of his sexuality.

The campaign group maintained that while Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens, fear of discrimination has prevented many queer Nigerians from seeking justice.

“No society can claim to uphold the rule of law if vulnerable communities live in perpetual fear. Every Nigerian deserves equal protection under the Constitution, and victims of violent crimes should be able to seek justice without fear of intimidation, discrimination or exposure,” the scholars said.