Nigerian 'Lesbian' Turns Herself In

(NEWSER) - Five Nigerian lesbians are running for their love after a weekend wedding put them in direct violation of the local Islamic law. Police have issued arrest warrants against Aunty Maiduguri and her four wives, charging them with violating the Sharia law that governs much of northern Nigeria. More»

Seeks to remedy apparently soaring divorce rate

(NEWSER) - Nigeria's Kano state is worried: The number of divorces appears to be skyrocketing. And a divorced woman there faces a raft of problems—she may be shunned, in some cases forced to beg or prostitute herself to support her family. So the state government is taking the matter into its own hands: It's working to find husbands for 1,000 divorcees and widows, the Los Angeles Times reports. Some 2,000 men have applied for the program, which covers wedding expenses and provides a way around negotiating with future in-laws. More»

Faith healer Bello Masaba finds himself at the center of controversies

(NEWSER) - Bello Masaba demands absolute obedience from his wives—all 86 of them. The 87-year-old Nigerian faith healer has been marrying a woman every few weeks for decades, assembling an extended family of around 5,000 people, many of whom live in the sprawling compound around his house. That huge harem has gotten him in trouble with the law—Nigeria is run by Sharia law, and the Koran says a man should have at most four wives. But he got off after his wives protested on his behalf. More»

Suspects accused of violating Islamic law; parliament mulls ban on gay groups

(NEWSER) - Eighteen Nigerian men arrested on suspicion of sodomy face death by stoning under the nation’s Sharia law. Police found the men, reportedly dressed as women, in a hotel in the northern state of Bauchi, where they were allegedly celebrating a “gay wedding.” More»