Police arrests 57 suspected homosexuals in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command on Monday said it had arrested 57 persons suspected to be involved in homosexual activities in the Egbeda area of the state.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Edgal Imohimi, confirmed the arrest to newsmen during a news conference.
He said that the suspects were picked up on Sunday at 2 a.m. while they were performing gay-initiation for newly recruited members.
“Intelligence gathered revealed that some youths will be initiated into a Gay/Homosexual Club between 1 a.m and 2 a.m., at Kelly Ann Hotel/ Event Centre, located at No. 3-7, Adenrele St., Egbeda, an action contrary to Section 1 (1) of Same Sex Marriage, Act 2014.
“Consequent upon this, some operatives from the Shasha and Idimu Police Stations stormed the venue and met no less than 80 young men.
“They were taking different types of drinks including banned substances like Tramadol, Shisha laced with substances suspected to be Marijuana.

“As soon as they sighted the police, they ran into different directions but the team arrested 57 of them,” he said.

The CP said that investigation into the case was ongoing and the suspects would be charged to court soon.

However, some of the suspects who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the press conference, denied the allegations.

They said that they were at the hotel to attend a wedding and a birthday party.

One of the suspects, James Obialu, said that he was a dancer and had come to the party to perform before he was arrested.

“I am not a gay, I am a dancer and I was there to perform before I was arrested. I am a responsible citizen and I work at the Alimosho General Hospital as a counsellor for those living with HIV,” he said.

Another suspect, Samuel Olarotimi, 22, and also a graduate of Mass Communication from the Yaba College of Technology, said that there were other females in the hotel who were not arrested.

“I was there for a birthday party which started late. About eight ladies were at the bar with us while some other ladies were dressing up in their rooms.

“I don’t know why the police refused to arrest the other females but brought us here as alleged homosexuals, “ he said.

One of them, Bob China, said that he accompanied his friend, a caterer, to deliver food at the party but was arrested while waiting outside the hotel.

ECOWAS Court delivers 127 judgments
The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice said it received 352 cases and delivered 127 judgments from the first quarter of 2015 to the second quarter of 2018.
This was made known at the hand-over ceremony of the president of the court and the college of judges to the new judges in Abuja.
The outgoing president of the court, Justice Jérôme Traoré, said since assumption of office of the judges in 2014, external court hearings were held in line with relevant protocols.
Traoré said that such sessions were held to “bring the court closer to the litigants of the community”.
The court’s president said that the court had also developed relations with other international courts and concluded partnership agreements with organisations devoted to human rights defence and protection.

He, however, stressed that the decision of the authorities to reduce the number of judges from seven to five would hamper the effectiveness of its functions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that institutional reforms were announced in Monrovia, during the statutory meetings of the ECOWAS in June 2017.

“With the increasing rate at which cases are being filed before the court, staff strengthening becomes indispensable in order to avoid undue delays in the delivery of justice, he said.”

NAN also recalls that the court, had on several occasions, kicked against the proposed reduction of the number of its judges.

Chief Registrar of the court, Mr Tony Anene-Maidoh said 90 cases were pending before the court, adding that the drop in the number of judges posed an “existential threat” to the court’s activities.

Anene-Maidoh emphasised the reforms made were against the community protocols guiding the establishment of the court.

“Another looming minefield is the reduction in the number of translators from nine to six; currently, there are 585 court processes awaiting translation.

“The judges need quick translation of the court processes into three official languages to facilitate their work; inadequate capacity in the language services can only lead to inordinate delay in the administration of justice.

“The importance of providing a conducive work environment for the honourable judges and staff cannot be overemphasised; we appeal to the President of the Commission to kindly intervene.”

President of the ECOWAS Jean-Claude Brou encouraged the members of the court to “work in accordance with the scheme” of changes.

Brou reassured of the commission’s support to strengthen the efficacy of the court.

The commission’s president further commended the efforts of the court in promoting human rights in the region and in promoting the trust and credibility of the ECOWAS institutions.

The new President of the court, Justice Edward Asante, also assured of the court’s unrelenting efforts in the sustenance of human rights in the region.

Asante also encouraged the members of staff “put in their best to ensure that cases were attended to effectively”.

“Though the numbers reduced, we are going to be certain to deliver on the task.”