UK: Lesbian at risk of deportation to Nigeria will send sex video to help her case
A lesbian who is at risk of being deported to Nigeria has said she will hand over home videos of her having sex to the Home Office.
Aderonke Apata, who is at risk of deportation to Nigeria – where homosexuals can be put to death – had her application for asylum rejected, despite providing letters from former girlfriends in both the UK and Nigeria, and supporting statements from friends.
Apata – who lives in Manchester with her girlfriend – has now been granted a judicial review, and says she feels there is only one form of irrefutable proof that will be enough for the Home Office to accept her orientation.
She told the Independent: “I was asked to bring my supporting documents for my judicial review for the court to look at. What evidence do we have to compile apart from letters from people?
“I knew we had a home video of ourselves, so I thought why not just put it in? I cannot afford to go back to my county where I will be tortured, so if I have to prove it with a sexual video, then I have to do it.
“I feel so bad it’s got to this stage. It’s such a desperate and precarious situation to be in, very dangerous, because anything could happen to those pictures, those videos.”
“I want sanctuary. I just want to be protected. I want to be who I am.”
Apata will hand over a petition later today, urging the Home Office to halt all deportations of LGBT people until the review is completed.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We do not remove anyone at risk of persecution because of their sexuality.
“We provide dedicated guidance and training to those dealing with such asylum claims, and all applications are carefully considered in line with our international obligations.”
