A same-sex
couple are on the run after police arrested 53 gay men in Nigeria.
Authorities
in Zaria raided a motel where a group of mostly male students were holding a
party yesterday evening at the Zaria Motel (19 April).
As
homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria, house parties are often the only time
LGBTI people can feel free and safe to be open about their sexual or gender
identity.
For this
reason, GSN will not be publishing the names, photos or addresses of the men
involved.
Police raided
the party, accusing them of throwing a ‘gay marriage’, and then charged the men
with ‘conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and belonging to a gang of an unlawful
society’.
Two men were
able to escape the Zaria Motel and flee for their lives. Activists are in touch
with the couple on the run, sources have told us, and they are being looked
after in a safe house. With the publishing of this news across Nigeria, the two
escapees fear a mob will kill them.
Bisi Alimi,
Nigerian LGBTI activist, told Gay Star News he was ‘incredibly upset’ and ‘saddened’
by the arrests.
Prosecutor
Sergeant Mannir Nasir confirmed the arrest.
‘On 15 April
at about 2100 hours a team of policemen led by DSP Muhammad Lawal-Mashi
arrested and brought to police station 53 persons,’ he said.
‘Information
reached the police that these group of persons conspired to celebrate a gay
marriage at Zaria Motel between one [name redacted] and [name redacted] both at
large.’
Nasir said
the accused persons pleaded not guilty.
The victims’
lawyer, Yunusa Umar, has called on the court to release them on bail.
Nigeria
activist: ‘This is a complete violation of their rights’
Bail was set
at N500,000 ($1,650, €1,525) each. The case will be heard on 8 May.
Alimi, of the
Bisi Alimi Foundation, is working with the lawyer to raise funds for the 53
men.
‘This is a
complete violation of their rights,’ he told GSN. ‘Freedom of assembly is a
right given to all people. They have not broken any laws.
‘We are doing
everything we can to get them the justice they need.’
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