More than 60 people remanded in jail for attending alleged gay wedding in Nigeria.
More than 60 Nigerians are languishing in prison for simply attending a suspected gay wedding.
Individuals currently detained in the southern city of Warri, in the south of the African country, are to remain behind bars after a court granted a remand request from the police on Monday (4 September).
“The suspects have been arraigned in court today and the judge has ruled that they be remanded in prison for two weeks,” a police officer said.
Police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, told local media on 28 August that officers had raided a ceremony believed to be a same-sex wedding, arresting 100 people before scaling the number down to 67.
While it is not known exactly how many were remanded in custody, it is believed that at all are currently in jail.
Defence lawyer Ochuko Ohimor, who is representing several of the suspects, said that the next hearing is set for 18 September and he is working on their release.
He estimated that 69 individuals were being held, adding that they faced charged connected to LGBTQ+ promotion by attending the wedding.
“All we are doing now is to bring up bail applications on their behalf,” he said. “If it is found meritorious, [the court] can admit them to bail.
