Aftermath of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s assent of the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, the United Nations has condemned the Federal Government for doing so.

The UN Human Rights High Commissioner, Navi Pillay, described the law as pure violation of fundamental human rights.

The bill includes a 14-year prison term for anyone who enters into a same sex union, and a 10-year prison term for whoever administers, witnesses, or aids’ a same sex marriage.

“Rarely have I seen a piece of legislation that in so few paragraphs directly violates so many basic, universal human rights.

“Rights to privacy and non-discrimination, rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, rights to freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention: this law undermines all of them.

“Even before this Act was signed into law, consensual same sex relationships were already criminalized in Nigeria – violating rights to privacy and to freedom from discrimination, both of which are protected by the Nigerian Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Nigeria has ratified,” Ms. Pillay stated.

It would be recalled that Nigeria’s Senate approved the prohibition of Same Sex Marriage Bill in December, and President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Act into law earlier this week.