BENIN CITY –The Edo state Police Command in a bid to rid the state of all forms of same sex affairs raided a popular guest house in Ogida area were the group of Lesbians Gay Bisexual and Transgenas was holding a private party on September 1,2015.
The Police from Ogida Police station acting on a tip off that a major gay and lesbian party was about to go down stormed the Guest House at mid night in an attempt to arrest the participants but before the policemen could get into the room in the Guest House,the lights went out and everyone scampered through the back door and no arrest was made.
When contacted the Guest House Manager denied any knowledge of such activities pointing out that the Guest House have its usual clients and it was not in his rights to ask the sexuality of his clients before attending to them.
However, when the Nigerian observer correspondent contacted the Edo state Police Command ,a top ranking officer in Benin city who would like to remain anonymous regarding the incident and previous gay activities, said “In a country this big,a lot of these people either disappear or simply relocate to other places to avoid arrest. A few cases of vigilante killings have happened in our city as well ,an act we condemn, but we still ask the society to report any gay and lesbian activities to the police so we can get rid of this menace” he said.
He further disclosed that his jurisdiction had about 7 wanted gay and lesbian cases but investigation have always been stalled as a result of no major evidence or major arrest adding that some of these people are protected by their families especially the wealthy and the influential ones ,while others disappear into neighbouring towns ,cities and even abroad ,he however declined to disclosed the names of the most wanted on the police list .
“We have had cases in the past that never made it to trial either because it involved people in power or it end up settled through the back door,” and unconfirmed reports that most of these people involved in this act are top politicians ,socialites and people of high class.
The NIGERIAN OBSERVER was however able to obtain names of few of them involved in this act,among them two sons of famous politicians,according to the source, some of the major case that have been unattended to in the past involve one Christian Amadin,arrested in 2014 but release on bail ,after which he disappeared, Eddy Akpatason and his partner Uwaifo Adima were never arrested and remain at large.Miss Oyoma Mary,Grace Atena and Fatima Omo,was wanted for starting a lesbian secret club in college, also Obubu Anthony and his cousin Abdula Amah were also arrested but they disappeared from police custody never to be seen after their family had them arrested over the same act.
However, Obode Blessing who was a Disk Jockey (DJ) in the city was found murdered two days after local newspaper showed pictures of him kissing an unknown male partner.
While gay/lesbian raid are becoming too rampant and common in a country where your sexuality can land you in jail for 14 years,these group seem to be coming up all over the cities.
In spite of most of these group operating in the shadows,a few individuals have however,come out to condemn the stigmatization of gays and lesbians.
According to research, Lagos State ranked the highest with the number of arrest in connection to gay and lesbian activities followed by Abuja (Federal Capital Territory) Edo State, Rivers State and Delta State among the top five.
