It was 8pm on Friday 24th December 2021 when the Police raided the Bonsaac area in Asaba, Delta State where they received information that a Same Sex Marriage ceremony was being held.
The Police shot dead two members on the spot: Philip Titus Usan and Ngo Okoye, while they arrested seven members on the spot. Worse still, six members were arrested in different locations in Oyo, Kogi, and Kano States.
According to the Police spokesman, Mr Afiz Mohammed, operatives of the Asaba Community Police (ACP), Asaba, who were on visibility patrol along Ugbe St, received a signal which led to the arrest of gay members (Idahole Udoro, 37, Chuki N. Ola 40, Philips Adusa 40, Ijose Fasali 45 and Mosha Hadeen) on Sunday, January 09, 2022.
The spokeswoman said yesterday in Asaba that the suspects had confessed their being a Gay Members, which is prohibited in Nigeria. This is under The Act 2013 Section 5(1) which prohibits the entering into a same-sex marriage. It carried a penalty of 14 years imprisonment. Also, the Act 2013, Section 5(2) Registering, Operating or Participating in a Gay Club Section 5(2) criminalizes registering, operating or participating in gay clubs, societies or organisations, or making a public show of a same-sex relationship with a penalty of 10 years imprisonment.
In the same vein, Mr Afiz Mohammed said that another team while, on patrol along Lagos / Ibadan express Road, Tuesday, January 18, 2022, arrested another batch of three suspected members. He gave their names as Fisya A Donya, 33, of No 1 Eregha Close, Off Adjenughure Street,, Wayside Road, Warri, O. Suraju Tarlor, 46, of New Layout Warri and Friday Oshara, 59, of 19 Effurun/Sapele Roads, Warri.
The Police declared others wanted: Linus Steven of No 2 Queen Mowah Drive, Okpanam Road, Asaba, Delta State; Samuel E. Tokunbo of No 6 okoye street of Okpanam road Asaba Delta State; Samson Adimenu 4 Tiamiyu street Union road Lagos; Onibeju Adebanjoko Rasaq, of 3 Ali-isiba street, Sango Ota Ogun State; Kingley Sunday 20 Agbor Road Port Harcourt; Agbabika Ikileri of No Ebony/orize road, Port Harcourt, Oliver Oparam, of No 60 Iyevori Street Urude, Delta State.