Nigerian police are investigating the death of a popular transgender TikToker known as “Abuja Area Mama,” whose beaten body was discovered along a highway in Abuja on Thursday.
The 33-year-old, who had a loyal following on social media, was known for sharing her experiences as a transgender woman and sex worker in Nigeria. She never revealed her full name, sometimes referring to herself as Ifeanyi.
Abuja Area Mama had previously expressed fears for her safety, highlighting the dangers faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Nigeria, a deeply conservative country where same-sex relationships are criminalized. Last year, she spoke about being attacked and fearing for her life.
In her final Instagram post on Wednesday, she mentioned that she was preparing to meet her boyfriend. Just hours later, her body was found along the Katampe-Mabushi expressway in the Banex, Wuse II area of Abuja, in what is suspected to be a murder.
Police investigating the scene described the victim as a “man fully dressed in female clothing” without any identification. Abuja’s police chief, Benneth Igweh, has ordered a “thorough and discreet” investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
The news of her passing has led to an outpouring of grief on social media, with many condemning the violence faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Nigeria. Despite legal protections against discrimination, LGBTQ+ individuals frequently face harassment, arrests, and detentions, particularly in the country’s northern regions.
Local journalist Martins Ifijeh commented on the incident, stating, “Taking the law into your own hands because you don’t like another person’s sexual orientation is the worst form of inhumanity.”
