As police disrupt gay marriage, arrest 67 guests

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have disrupted a gay (same-sex) marriage ceremony at a hotel in Ekpan, Delta State, and arrested 67 suspected guests. The same-sex wedding ceremony was between one Daniel Pius (groom) and Maxwell Ohwonowho (bride).The suspects were, yesterday, paraded by the Command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe. According to Edafe, “On Sunday, August 27, about 9:00 p.m., operatives of the divisional patrol team attached to Ekpan Division intercepted a male cross-dresser, who claimed to be an actor. “Upon interrogation, he confessed that he is a member of a certain gay club, and that he was on his way to join his fellow members for a gay marriage ceremony. “Acting on intelligence gathered, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Aliyu Shaba, raided Teebolus Hotel, off Refinery Road, Ekpan, near Warri, where some suspected gay members were reportedly holding a gay marriage ceremony. “As the operatives arrived at the said hotel, the gay members immediately took to their heels, scampering in different directions. Police officers chased and arrested a total number of 67 suspects, both male and female, for allegedly conducting and attending a same-sex wedding ceremony between Daniel Pius, ‘m’ (the groom), 22, and Maxwell Ohwonohwo, ‘m’ (bride), 20. “The venue of the illicit event was searched, and the following items were recovered at the scene: one codeine bottle; three cups of refined Canadian loud; five sachets of skunk; one sachet of tramadol; four tablets of molly drug; one crusher and gay marriage ceremonial dresses.” Edafe said during investigation, one of the suspects, Abel Daniel, 23, disclosed that while he was under the influence of alcohol, one male suspect, who is at large, had sex with him through his anus at the hotel. The police spokesperson said the suspects and exhibits had been taken into custody, while efforts were being intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing members for possible prosecution. He said the Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, while condemning the act, stressed that the Command and Delta State would not tolerate any sort of same-sex relationship, insisting that marriage is valid only when it is contracted between a man and a woman.

The commissioner, he added, warned that explicit or implicit public show of amorous relationships between people of the same sex remained prohibited in the state, and indeed in the country, warning that deviants would be brought to book in accordance with Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2013. The police boss charged the public to assist the Command to uphold the moral standards of society by being conscious of their environment and promptly providing credible information that could aid the maintenance of serenity in the state.He called on the public to contact the Command’s dedicated phone lines or reach out to the nearest police station for necessary action. MEANWHILE, Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of the suspects. Reacting, the group condemned the arrest. It said: “Amnesty International is calling on the Nigeria’s Delta State Police Command to immediately release the over 100 men arrested and paraded to the media over allegedly organising gay marriage and put an immediate end to this witch-hunt. “The arrests violate a range of human rights and discriminate based on real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. “In a society where corruption is rampant, the law banning same sex relationships is increasingly being used for harassment, extortion and blackmail of people by law enforcement officers and other members of the public. This is unacceptable.

“Delta State Police Command claimed the men were arrested for allegedly planning same-sex marriage. It is mind-boggling that the mere act of dressing style, hair or sitting in a pair can assume criminal proportions.”