The Delta State Police Command has announced its operatives have arrested no fewer than 100 suspected homosexuals carrying out a marriage ceremony in a hotel in Delta State.
Spokesperson of the Command, DSP Bright Edafe, while parading the gay suspects at the Police Headquarters in Asaba, the state capital, said officers of the Command acted swiftly on a tipoff from members of the public which resulted in the arrest of the 100 gay suspects.
According to him, “the command was able to arrest the suspects because of the cooperation from members of the public who volunteered useful information.”
At the highly secured and tensed parade session, POPULARNEWS9JA was able to interact with three out of the 100 suspects; Felix Okafor, Ijeh Ebere and Chidi Nnsaka.
Excerpts:
“I am just a victim of circumstance. I was merely lodging at the hotel when police came to raid the hotel and claimed that they were reliably hinted that homosexual wedding was holding at that time in the hotel. I told them l am not a gay that l was just lodging in the hotel but they did not listen and we were all arrested and detained in their station. Its absurd for me to be arrested for such an abominable allegation. I am not a gay. I have a wife with two children at home. How could l be legally married and same time practice homosexuality? I am innocent. I am a known devoted christian in my area. I am disappointed over the reckless manner the Nigeria police arrest and detain innocent citizens,” Okafor lamented.
Popular News: What is your name and why are you here?
“My name is Ijeh Ebere. I don’t live in this town. I came here to attend my friend’s birthday party held in one of the hotels in this town. Shortly had the party started, some men in police uniform stormed the hotel and rounded us up with the allegation that they had a tipoff that homosexuals wedding ceremony was going on in the hotel.
“We tried to convince the police that the alleged tipoff was incorrect. The police ignored our talks and decided to arrest all of us and took us to their detention facilities. But my own case is worsened and complicated as someone came to pinpoint me inside the detention and accused me that l am a real homosexual as he told police that his son who has been on sick bed in hospital for a while now made the confession that l have been having carnal knowledge of him which is the cause of his ailment.
“The person also said he has a photo evidence of it. And now, the family has threatened to make sure that l am charged to court and sent to jail to rotten.”
In his submission, Nnsaka said: “This is appalling. I am a cab driver and I drove a client here to lodge in the hotel. Coincidentally, when the police entered, they found me in the hotel premise and my frantic efforts to convince them about my identity proved abortive.
“I was arrested along with other suspects. I am not a gay and I don’t know anything about gay practice. I hereby plead for justice.”
It could be recalled that homosexual relationships are illegal in Nigeria. The anti-gay law, enacted in January 2014 by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration stipulates 14 years prison term for anyone convicted of having sex with members of the same sex.
DSP Edafe in his final statement, stressed the need for work synergy between the police and members of the public to ensure safety of lives and property.
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