Officers of the Edo State Police Command have arrested five homosexuals during a raid at Igbinedion male hostel in Ekpoma.
The hostel is allegedly used as a gay club by some undergraduate students of the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma.
The raid was carried out by detectives of the criminal investigation department at the weekend following a tip-off from members of the community regarding the students’ activities.
The names and ages of the arrested suspects were given as; Osareinti Omo, 23, Odigie Matthew, 20, Sunday George, 20, Festus Akinbayo, 25 and Ibrahim Duru.
The students were allegedly performing initiation ceremony for some teenage boys when the police busted them.
A police source said the gang collected the sum of N10, 000 from new members, with the promise that they were going to be given protection throughout their stay in the university.
Ibrahim Duru in his confession to the police said he was initiated into the club by one Osanyade Michael in 2015 while he was in 100 level.
Duru said Michael is the leader of the club, and that he is on the run because he had been on the police wanted list for long.
Duru said,
“I see nothing wrong in my being gay. It is my life. Our meeting place is in Igbinedion male hostel, Ekpoma. We meet there mainly at weekends but it was later extended to Tuesdays and Thursdays. Other members of the gang are Osazuwa Samuel, Williams Aghedo, Agala Christian, Atamamin Uyi Festus and Omolegie Samuel.
“I was arrested in 2015 along with Osanyade Michael when police raided Igbinedion male hostel. We were detained but Osanyade jumped bail and since them we have not seen him. Others were later allowed to go on bail with the promise that we were going to put an end to gay activities in the area. Some of us went back recruiting members secretly. Presently we are about 20 in number. People pay us.”
The state police spokesman, DSP Moses Nkombe, could not be reached for comments as he did not answer the calls made to his mobile phone.
