Nigeria’s military personnel have been prohibited from engaging in homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, and cross-dressing. These activities are now deemed contrary to the ethics of the armed forces.In addition to these prohibitions, personnel are also barred from body piercing, tattooing, disorderly behavior, and drunkenness on or off duty.These new regulations are outlined in Section 26 of the revised Harmonised Armed Forces Terms and Conditions of Service. The document was signed by President Bola Tinubu on December 16, 2024.
It read in part, “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 condition of service also forbids the involvement of officers in amorous relationships with subordinates or their spouses. “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, “ it stated.
The 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 of fence. The document read further, “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.” Having a private business, and misuse of government property for personal gain are also prohibited for serving personnel.
“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 these rules were not specified.
