Gay wedding disrupted by police, couple arrested

 

The gay men identified as Umar Tahir and Abdul Lawal were supposed to have their wedding in King’s Land Hotel located in Jiwa Community of Abuja

A gay wedding scheduled to hold in Abuja on Saturday, February 6, was disrupted by the police and the couples involved arrested.

Gay wedding cake
(Cakes)

The gay men identified as Umar Tahir and Abdul Lawal were supposed to have their wedding in King’s Land Hotel located in Jiwa Community of Abuja.

The police had made the arrested based on a tip off  from an anonymous caller.

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It was gathered that guests had started arriving at the wedding venue first, the gay couple were arrested as soon as they got to the venue, taken to the Gwagwa Police Station where they were detained.

Sponsors of the wedding identified as Abubakar Tahir and Mohammed Sani, were also arrested along with other guests, chairman of the occasion and owner of the hotel.

Speaking on the arrest, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police Anjuguri Manzah, said the command had received an intelligence report and swiftly moved to the venue of the event to stop the marriage from holding.

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“We acted based on the provisions of the Same-Sex Prohibition Act signed into law in 2013.

“We received an intelligence report and acted fast by moving to the venue of the event to stop it,” he said.

Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase
(Punch)

Manzah told reporters that the police investigating the case would charge the couple and other persons involved in the gay wedding to court.

The Same-Sex Prohibition Act was signed into law in 2013 by former president Goodluck Jonathan.

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"A marriage contract or civil union entered into between persons of same sex: (a) is prohibited in Nigeria; and (b) shall not be recognised as entitled to the benefits of a valid marriage.

“A person who enters into a same sex marriage contract or civil union commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 14 years imprisonment, ” parts of the act read.

Nigeria is one of the 38 African countries to prohibit same-sex marriage.

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