Anti-Gay Law: Nigerians Flood Netherlands Embassy Seeking Asylum

The Royal Embassy of the Netherlands in Nigeria has confirmed the receipt of applications for asylum by some Nigerians claiming to be homosexuals who want to leave the country for fear of persecution following President Goodluck Jonathan's signing into law of the anti-same sex marriage bill.

Netherlands, is a gay-friendly country but the embassy has however said it lacks the power to grant asylum to applicants or process their applications, while adding that investigations would be carried out to ascertain if truely the person is gay or just making claims.

In an email to Thisday, the embassy wrote; "The embassy has received a small number of applications for asylum by Nigerians. It is not possible to apply for asylum at the embassy. We inform the applicants likewise but we do not register the number of applications made.

"At this stage, it is not possible to make predictions. That would be speculation. However, when people become increasingly aware that it is not possible to apply for asylum at the embassy, one could expect a decrease. The embassy is not involved in the asylum process, neither in the application nor in the determination of the authenticity of claims."