Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested 67 suspected gay members in Ekpan near Warri Delta State.
The suspects were arrested in the wee hours of Monday when operatives of the divisional patrol team attached to Ekpan Division swooped on them and disrupted an ongoing gay marriage also known as same-sex marriage which was being held at Teebolus Hotel off Refinery Road Ekpan-Warri.
Parading the suspects on Tuesday morning at the Divisional Police Station, Ekpan, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, said operatives of the division had late Sunday night “intercepted a male cross-dresser who claimed to be an actor but 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, CSP Aliyu Shaba, raided Teebolus Hotel off Refinery Road Ekpan 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 flight, scampering in different directions. The policemen chased and arrested a total number of sixty-seven suspects both male and female for allegedly conducting and attending a same-sex wedding ceremony between Daniel Pius (the groom) aged 22 years old and Maxwel Ohwonohwo (bride) aged 20 years.
“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 SK, one sachet of tramadol, four tablets of molly drug, one crusher, gay marriage ceremonial dresses.
“During investigation, one of the suspects named Abel Daniel aged 23 years stated 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 suspects and exhibits are in custody and efforts are intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing members for possible prosecution.”
