Remembering Our Dead

TDoR 2024 / 2024 / August / 08 / Chantelle Ifeanyi ("Abuja Area Mama")

Chantelle Ifeanyi ("Abuja Area Mama")

Age 33

8 Aug 2024
Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria)
Beaten

TDoR list ref: tgeu/tdor2024/8-Aug-2024/Chantelle Ifeanyi (""Abuja Area Mama"")

Chantelle's body was found in the street.

LGBTQ+ activists in Nigeria are raising concerns about their safety after a popular cross-dresser was killed Thursday in the capital. Police have launched a probe into the killing, which activists say is one of many cases recorded in recent weeks.

Franklin Ejiogu is trying to come to terms with the tragedy that struck early Thursday -- his friend, a Nigerian cross-dresser known as the "Abuja Area Mama," was killed by unknown attackers.

Area Mama's body was found by the roadside. Ejiogu says it's not clear how the events unfolded, but the cross-dresser had a gunshot wound to [her] head.

He blames a recent surge in fatal attacks on LGBTQ+ people on the signing of the so-called Samoa Agreement by Nigerian authorities.

"What actually pushed up these hate crimes is the signing of this Samoa Agreement. Media houses in Nigeria broke news that Nigerian government was encouraging LGBTQ+ movement in Nigeria and now the nonstate actors are now targeting the transgender community members and nonbinary people,” he said. “On Sunday, one transperson was lynched in Kogi state and on Monday, another transperson was also lynched."

Ejiogu is the founder of Nigeria’s Creme De la Creme, a trans and nonbinary peoples' support organization. He says they've been issuing security warnings to community members on an online forum, and that’s where he hears about attacks.

Nigeria's national law punishes same-sex relationships by up to 14 years in jail. And in the more conservative Muslim north, it could lead to a death sentence under sharia law.

In 2022, Nigerian authorities tried to enact a law to criminalize crossdressing, but the law was suspended following protests.

Months ago, Area Mama appeared in a viral video, saying he’d been targeted by a mob and injured with a machete.

Empress Cookie called for justice, saying, “This person that was murdered was human, and they need to give justice to this person. It's because Area Mama is a well-known person, that's why her own came to timeline and bloggers are posting it... but on a daily basis we're being killed."

Chantelle was a sex worker who documented her life on social media. Her Instagram profile is https://www.instagram.com/area_mama_of_abuja/.

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/08/nigerian-lgbtq-people-struck-with-grief-after-death-of-trans-influencer/

https://www.them.us/story/abuja-area-mama-tiktok-nigeria-found-dead

https://www.losangelesblade.com/2024/08/12/popular-gay-crossdresser-murdered-in-nigeria/

https://www.advocate.com/crime/transgender-tiktok-abuja-area-mama-killed

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/08/popular-trans-tiktoker-killed-in-nigeria/

https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/08/12/abuja-area-mama-death-trans-nigeria/

https://face2faceafrica.com/article/nigeria-investigations-launched-after-body-of-transgender-tiktoker-is-found-on-highway

https://www.adomonline.com/popular-nigerian-transgender-found-dead/

https://www.mambaonline.com/2024/08/10/nigeria-lgbtiq-community-shaken-by-murder-of-trans-social-media-figure/

https://www.wral.com/story/nigerian-police-investigate-killing-of-trans-tiktoker-abuja-area-mama/21569302/

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/africa/2024-08-09-nigerian-transgender-tiktoker-found-dead/