Police in Nigeria’s south-southern Delta state on Tuesday paraded dozens of young men and women suspected of being gay and lesbian arrested at a same-sex marriage ceremony in the state.
Newslodge previously quoted police as saying that more than 100 gay suspects were arrested during the ceremony.
But state police spokesman Bright Edafe told reporters in Asaba that the number of detainees was 67.
Edafe, deputy superintendent of police, said police officers had stopped a transvestite who confessed to being a member of a gay club and was on his way to attend a gay marriage ceremony.
He led the officers to the ceremony site at the Teebolus Hotel, on Refinery Road, Ekpan in Warri.
The marriage ceremony, according to the police, was for a gay couple: Daniel Pius (groom) and Maxwel Ohwonohwo (girlfriend), 22 years old.
“When the agents arrived at the hotel, the gay members immediately fled, running in different directions. The policemen chased and arrested 67 suspects, both men and women,” Edafe said.
He said a suspect, Abel Daniel, 23, admitted that, under the influence of alcohol, he had anal sex with a suspect who is on the run.
Police recovered tramadol, other hard drugs and ceremonial gay marriage dresses at the scene, Edafe said.
“Suspects and evidence are in custody and efforts are intensifying to secure the arrest of fleeing members for possible prosecution.
“Police Commissioner Wale Abass states unequivocally that Delta State is no place for any type of same-sex relationship; that marriage is valid only when contracted between a man and a woman.
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“It further advises that explicit or implicit public display of same-sex loving relationships is prohibited in the state and that deviants would be prosecuted under the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act 2013” .
illegal in nigeria
Homosexual relationships are illegal in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s anti-gay law, enacted in January 2014 by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, provides for a 14-year prison sentence for anyone convicted of having same-sex sexual relations.
The Nigerian government first put the law to the test in December 2019, when 47 men arrested by police at a Lagos hotel the previous year were brought to trial in court, accused of publicly showing affection for members of the same. sex.
The 47 men pleaded not guilty and were granted bail by the court. A federal judge later threw out the charges against the men due to a “lack of diligent prosecution” by police.
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Let hear it in the comment below if you do have an opinion on this; Police Parade Gay Suspects, Reveal How Officers Discovered Same-Sex Marriage Ceremony