By Enyichukwu Enemanna
At least 76 suspects have been arrested following an intelligence report on a same-sex birthday party and a planned marriage in Nigeria’s North East State of Gombe, the state command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) announced on Sunday.
“They were arrested at Duwa plaza along Bauchi-Gombe expressway, holding a homosexual birthday and they had plans to hold a same-sex wedding before our men raided the scene. 59 males were arrested, 21 willfully confessed to being homosexuals, and 17 females, being present at the scene were picked up,” NSCDC Commandant in charge of Gombe, Mohammed Muazu said through the command’s Public Relations Officer, SC Buhari Sa’ad.
Officers of the NSCDC prevented the wedding from taking place, Sa’ad said, stressing that the command has zero tolerance for “social vices”.
Out of 76 suspects, 59 are males and they have confessed to being homosexuals, the command stated, while adding that 17 females were nabbed at the scene.
The commandant while lamenting the degeneration of morality said he would send the culprits to school where they would not have adequate time for frivolities, noting that they would be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
“They will be charged to court to answer for their crime which is a social vice; a crime in Gombe State,” Muazu added.
Homosexuality remains a crime in the West African country with two dominant religions — Islam and Christianity.
Parliament had recently called for ban in the production and importation of books that encourage homosexuality in primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
