NIGERIA POLICE ARREST 57 SUSPECTS OVER HOMOSEXUAL

“The police just barged in and arrested people, I was outside the hall buying a drink when I was arrested. They also arrested few ladies but they let go of the ladies. The police didn’t allow us know our offence until we reached the police station yesterday. At first, the police told us that they found some illegal drugs with us such as shisha, tramadol and others but those that owned this came out and claimed possession of it, it is not a general thing,Olasunkanmi stated.

He added further “They also accused us of being homosexuals, I am not one, I went there to party. They also accused us of being initiated but no initiation material was founded with us or at the venue.”

Similarly, another suspect, Samuel Rotimi, 22, said, “We were contributing gate pass for the party when the policemen emerged. It was a birthday party and there were ladies there too, we are not gays.”

Penpushing further reports that, on his own part,James Brown,(20), said he went to perform at the party when he was arrested, adding that, “I went there to work and get paid. The party was on Saturday and it is (was) meant to be overnight. I was arrested and have been denied to even take my drugs which is for medical reasons.”

Another suspect, Smart Jones, told journalists that, he had gone to have fun on Saturday night and on seeing the activities in the hotel, decided to go in, saying, “I am not gay and I don’t know any of them, it was even when we got to the police station that I got to know that it was a birthday party.”

In the same vein, a 23 year old suspect,Daniel Sokari, said he had come to the hotel to lodge on his way back from a pageant, ‘Mr Toursim Nigeria’, which held in Lekki,stating that,“I left there (Lekki) at 6 pm, there was traffic due to the Third Mainland Bridge closure, we took alternative route which was a long tour that was why I got to the hotel late to lodge’.

“I live in Rivers State and only came for the pageantry. I was at the reception when the police came and they told me to lie down which I gladly did since I knew I had not committed any crime. But I was accused of being a gay. All efforts to explain to the police and show them the evidence of my invitation to the pageantry and pictures proved abortive,” he added.