… Dozens being questioned after first arrest
Six persons have been declared wanted by the Delta State Police Command over their alleged involvement in same-sex marriage in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area (Warri) in Delta State.
Addressing newsmen at the Delta State Police headquarters, Head of Operation Burst Squad, Offiong Desmond, said the police acted on intelligence reports and bursted the illegal union that was being perpetrated by the all male gathering.
Offiong Desmond said raid, which was carried out on August 27, 2023, led to the arrest of 67 people, while six others escaped.
He said, the six fugitives have since been on the command’s wanted list, just as he called on persons with useful information as to their whereabouts to assist the command in tracking them down.
The police gave wanted persons names as Abel Odafe, Chucks Emeka, Kunle Akikunmi, Romanus Omozokpea, Oghale Efe, and Godfrey Akenuwa, stating that they escaped arrest during the security raid.
The squad lead however named one Jerry Osas, among the arrested suspect with strong link to Romanus Omozokpea who is currently on the run.
Investigation by the police has revealed that Osas Jerry in custody was actually the coordinator of the outlawed gathering of same sex marriage promotion.
The police further alleged that Osas Jerry and Omozokpea had earlier been questioned in a similar case in 2021 in Benin, though they denied any wrongdoing, but their presence at the Warri gathering raised further scrutiny.
The Delta State Commissioner of Police Wale Abbas earlier confirmed the arrest of dozens of suspects over gay wedding on August 29,2023 in warri,Delta state Police.
Police commissioner however received knocks for the pretrial parade parade of the 67 suspects in Warri.
The police assured that those arrested will be prosecuted, while no efforts would be spared to arrest the fleeing suspects to also face the law.
“One thing I can tell you authoritatively, which we have been able to gather and established during our investigation is that the basis of their gathering violates Nigerian law”, the police spokesman said
But human rights groups have condemned the crackdown, calling it a violation of fundamental freedoms.
The case has reignited debates on LGBTQ+ rights in Nigeria, highlighting ongoing tensions between law enforcement and human rights advocacy
It could be recalled that Nigeria’s legal framework strictly regulates public assemblies, and authorities have vowed to prosecute those involved in what they describe as an illegal gathering.
As the case unfolds, legal experts, however, anticipate a heated debate on the limits of law enforcement in regulating private gatherings.
Same-sex relationships remain illegal in Nigeria under the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, which carries a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.
