Lagos Tech Firm Dismisses Employee Over Alleged Same-Sex Relationship, Sparks Human Rights Outcry

By Owolabi Roland

…Former Staff Alleges Police Harassment, Threats to Life

…Rights Groups Condemn Employer’s Role in Escalation

Mr. Kayode Adegoke, a former Human Resources Associate at Spectrum Technologies, a Lagos-based technology firm located in Ikeja, has fled Nigeria following alleged police intimidation and threats to his life after details of his private life were exposed.

Mr. Adegoke was employed by Spectrum Technologies from 2023 until his dismissal in September 2025. His termination reportedly followed allegations that he engaged in a consensual same-sex relationship with a colleague, said to have occurred in his private residence.

The controversy reportedly began after a domestic dispute between Mr. Adegoke and his wife in July 2025. Following the altercation, his wife allegedly reported the matter to his employer, disclosing details of his private relationships that had previously remained confidential. This disclosure is said to have escalated the situation beyond the control of Mr. Adegoke.

Sources close to the case indicate that Mr. Adegoke expected the matter to be handled discreetly within the organization. Instead, he was summoned by management, placed on suspension, and subjected to an internal investigation.

In September 2025, his employment was formally terminated, and the case was reportedly referred to law enforcement authorities. Under Nigerian law, consensual same-sex relationships are criminalized, carrying severe penalties and often exposing individuals to intense societal hostility.

Human rights organizations have long warned that exposure of individuals’ sexual orientation particularly by employers can result in arrest, extortion, torture, mob violence, or even death.

Shortly after the dismissal, security operatives allegedly visited Mr. Adegoke’s residence and issued him a summons for questioning. Around the same period, details of the incident were reportedly published in a local newspaper and circulated widely within his community without his consent.

Mr. Adegoke further alleged that individuals believed to be staff members of his former workplace began monitoring his movements and providing intelligence to security operatives in an attempt to facilitate his arrest.

The situation reportedly caused a deep rift within his family. His wife is said to have absconded with two of their younger children without notice, forcing Mr. Adegoke to relocate repeatedly across different cities in Nigeria with the remaining children in an effort to evade arrest.

Human rights advocates have strongly condemned the actions of Spectrum Technologies, accusing the firm of unnecessarily escalating the matter. A Lagos-based human rights advocate familiar with the case stated that the employer should have de-escalated the situation by resolving it internally rather than involving law enforcement.

According to associates of Mr. Adegoke, the combination of police involvement, public exposure, and the lack of institutional protection made it impossible for him to remain in Nigeria. Internal relocation was reportedly considered unsafe, as he feared arrest or possible extrajudicial violence.

As of the time of this report, Mr. Adegoke is said to have left the country in search of safety.