A controversial transgender TikToker who shared her life as a sex worker online has been found murdered in Nigeria.
The body of the social media star, who went by the name Abuja Area Mama, was found beaten and bruised on the side of a highway on Thursday.
Abuja Area Mama had a loyal fan base and posted on TikTok about her experience being transgender and a sex worker.
But, her content was not generally accepted in Nigeria where same-sex relationships are criminalised and homophobic abuse for LGBTQ+ content creators online is common.
Her body was discovered along the Katampe-Mabushi expressway in the capital, Abuja, just hours after she posted online she was going to meet her boyfriend.
Police are treating Abuja Area Mama’s death as a murder with teams of detectives visiting the scene, local media has reported.
The body of TikToker ‘Abuja Area Mama’ was found beaten and bruised on the side of a highway on Thursday
Abuja Area Mama had a loyal fan base and posted on TikTok about her experience being transgender and a sex worker
‘Preliminary investigations revealed that the individual was a man fully dressed in female clothing with no means of identification on him’, a police statement read.
Last September, Abuja Area Mama who never used her full name and sometimes referred to herself as Ifeanyi, told of how she had been attacked and now feared for her life.
She claimed she was stabbed in what remain unclear circumstances.
Abuja Area Mama described herself on her TikTok profile as ‘the number one Abuja cross-dresser and queen of the street’.
She previously said she shared her life on social media in an attempt to educate others.
The 33-year-old’s sudden death on Thursday has triggered an outpouring of grief online.
Martins Ifijeh, a Nigerian journalist, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘Taking laws into your hand because you don’t like another person’s sexual orientation is the worst form of inhumanity.’
Her body was discovered along Katampe – Mabushi expressway in the capital, Abuja just hours after she posted online she was going to meet her boyfriend
Abuja Area Mama described herself on her TikTok profile as ‘the number one Abuja cross-dresser and queen of the street’
Another user added: ‘She was murdered for living her truth, her resilience in the face of hatred and violence will never be forgotten.
‘No one deserves to die for being themselves.’
A third added: The tragic death of Abuja’s ‘Area Mama,’ targeted due to her sexuality, highlights the violent consequences of these attitudes.
‘We must advocate for change and protect all Nigerians, regardless of their identity.’