More than 70 young Nigerians have been arrested and accused of holding a ‘gay wedding.’ It is the latest incident in a series of raids on Nigeria’s LGBTQ community. Here’s the story.
Gay Wedding in Gombe
A Nigerian national security spokesperson has confirmed that 76 people have been taken into custody by security personnel after allegedly organizing a ‘gay wedding’ in Gombe, a northeastern state of the country.
Raid on ‘Gay Party’
Personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) launched a raid on a large gathering that they suspected of throwing a ‘gay party.’
They also had reason to believe the party was a planned wedding for a male couple.
Laws Forbid It
Same-sex marriage has been illegal in Nigeria since the first official law was passed in 2014.
Gombe is also a majority-Muslim state, and Islamic sharia law is often applied alongside state and federal law.
76 Suspects Arrested
NSCDC spokesman Buhari Saad issued an official statement to the Nigerian media.
“We apprehended 76 suspected homosexuals,” he said. “While holding a birthday party organized by one of them who was to wed his male bride at the event.”
Confessions Made
Among the 76 suspects were 17 women and 59 men. After being detained, 21 of those 59 men “wilfully confessed being gay,” according to Saad.
“Bride” and Groom
Both men alleged to be married were said to take traditional bride-and-groom roles during the ceremony.
While the groom was one of the 76 arrested, Saad admitted that the ‘bride’ fled the scene.
All Charged in Court
But national security won’t be dropping the subject. “We will charge them to court to answer for their actions once the investigation is concluded,” Saad affirmed.
No Trifling Matter
Being arrested for homosexual activity in Nigeria is no trifling matter.
Sharia law in northern Nigeria dictates that homosexuality is punishable by death, though technically, this law has never been enforced in the region.
Significant Penalties
The 2014 legislation that made same-sex marriage and civil union illegal in Nigeria also carries significant penalties.
Nigerians found to be in a same-sex union could face up to 14 years in jail.
Common Law vs Sharia Law
When asked whether the two main suspects (the bride and groom) would be charged under common law or sharia law, Saad declined to comment.
Not the First, Not the Last
The alleged wedding party is far from the first group to be raided by security personnel for suspected homosexual activity in Nigeria.
Another Wedding in Kano
Just last year, in December, 19 young men and women were arrested in Kano, the largest city in northern Nigeria.
Arrested for Organization
The party was arrested by local Sharia police and accused of organizing a gay wedding, but all suspects were later released before they could be taken to court.
Wedding Raids Continue
A number of suspected homosexual weddings have been raided in Nigeria in the past few years, but as yet, none of the arrested participants have been convicted.
No Response From the Arrested
So far, no lawyers or representatives for the 76 people arrested could be reached for comment.
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The post 76 People Arrested in Nigeria Over ‘Gay Wedding’ – Another Brutal Crackdown on Nigeria’s LGBTQ Community first appeared on Mama Say What?!.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / voronaman. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
