In a recent incident in southern Delta state, Nigerian authorities have taken into custody approximately 200 individuals who attended an event, with 67 of them now facing charges following an ongoing investigation.
Many of those detained, when presented to the media on Tuesday, asserted that they were not involved in any homosexual activities but were, in fact, individuals with professions in fashion design, photography, and modeling who had been invited to the event.
One detainee disclosed that they had been held captive for several days without access to water or their phones.
DSP Bright Edafe, the police spokesperson, stated that homosexuality remains illegal in Nigeria and will not be tolerated. He expressed that Nigeria would not adopt Western practices in this regard, categorizing such actions as evil.
The events unfolded around 02:00 local time on Monday when law enforcement officers stopped an individual dressed as a woman late on Sunday evening. Initially, the individual claimed to be an actor but later admitted to being part of a gay society hosting an event at a hotel.
Two men were allegedly discovered dressed as a bride and groom at the venue, and the police reported finding a video recording of a wedding. However, both men vehemently denied the accusations. One of them clarified that he was a fashion designer and that the attire the police identified as a “groom’s outfit” was a design he was modeling at the event. The other individual, attired as a bride, asserted that he had been invited solely as a model and denied any involvement in the alleged wedding.
This incident has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the treatment of individuals attending events that may be misconstrued. It highlights the challenges faced by those who engage in non-conventional or misunderstood professions in Nigeria’s current legal and societal context.