Nigeria’s media has sensationally reported the murder of Adindu Ohamara, allegedly a gay banker, who was stabbed to death by a man he picked up in Akoka, Lagos State.

Ohamara returned home with a man he picked who allegedly stabbed him at midnight and left his flat.

The victim lived in a three-bedroom flat with his elder sister, Flora and a lodger.

According to daily Punch Metro, Ohamara was forced into marriage due to pressure from his family.

In their reports, Nigerian media stressed the victim was gay and according to local LGBT activists seem to have almost confused the crime with the banker’s presumed sexuality.

The press reported that ‘local resident’ said: ‘A few weeks ago, Ohamara did his wedding introduction and shortly after that, one man came to the compound to fight him.

‘There was a lot of noise over the issue and even neighbors had to come to settle the matter.

‘The unidentified man complained that he had been jilted and threatened to deal with Ohamara before he left in anger’, reported to be gay, by the local press.

Police, however, arrested Ohamara’s sister and lodger and allegedly demanded N350,000 from each of the detained persons before they could be released.

The flat’s landlord protested to the local police and demanded that they would be freed immediately.

When Punch Metro contacted the spokesperson for the state police, he confirmed the murder case and the detention of the two but said he was unaware of a bail fee or if Ohamara was gay.

‘Investigations are ongoing and we will get to the bottom of it’, he said.

Adebisi Alimi, a Nigerian LGBT rights advocate told Gay Star News: ‘My condolensce to the family of this young man.

One would expect the Nigerian press to address the issue of the homocide instead of hyping the issue of the victim’s presumed sexuality.

Anyone can commit a crime and one’s sexuality does not make one more prone to killing someone.

‘This sensationalism disrespects the grieving family and shows how low the Nigerian media has stooped in their desire to break news.

‘I hope that media owners and editors will take time to train their reporters on diversity so they could report the news without confusing sexuality with a crime.’

In the last few months, Nigerian media has been running sensationalist anti-gay crime stories.

Last month, three men remanded in custody for having gay sex in a hotel in Northern Nigeria, while local LGBT activists slammed the country’s press for inciting misinformation and hate.