Nigeria’s Military Bans Homosexuality, Cross-Dressing, and Tattoos in Revised Code of Conduct
Nigeria’s Military Bans Homosexuality, Cross-Dressing, and Tattoos in Revised Code of Conduct
The Nigerian military has officially prohibited personnel from engaging in homosexuality, bestiality, cross-dressing, and other activities deemed incompatible with the ethics of the armed forces.
The updated regulations, outlined in Section 26 of the revised Harmonised Armed Forces Terms and Conditions of Service, were signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in December 2024.
According to the document, military officers are also forbidden from body piercing, tattooing, drunkenness, disorderly behavior, and brawling, whether on or off duty.
The section states:
“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, 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. An officer must not at any time be drunk whether on or off duty.”
The regulations further prohibit officers from forming amorous relationships with subordinates or their spouses.
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“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,” the document added.
Additionally, military personnel are barred from joining secret societies or political parties.
“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 new code emphasizes maintaining discipline and upholding the image of the armed forces.
