SEVEN HOMOSEXUALS BARELY ESCAPE DEATH IN BAUCHI STATE

By Akpabio Aniema

Nigerians demonstrated their disdain for homosexuals last week when an angry mob almost lynched seven suspected gay who were brought for trial before Sharia Court 4 in Anguwan Jaki, Bauchi State. This comes in line with the signing into law of the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act that criminalises gay marriage, gay organisations and anyone working with or promoting them. The arrival of the seven suspected gays at the court ignited a pandemonium from the crowd who came to witness the trial.

The suspects are standing trial for allegedly engaging in gay practises, an action which contravenes the Islamic laws, which the Bauchi state operates. The security personnel on ground had a tough time dispersing the crowd and they had to resort to firing of tear gas canisters and several gunshots into the air before they could put the crowd under control and rescue the seven suspect from being lynched. Tension started mounting in the court when the suspects, Ibrahim Marafa, Shehu Adamu, Yusuf Adamu, Aliyu Dalhatu, Abdulmalik Tanko, Usman Sabo and Hafiz Sabo Abubakar were hurriedly taken to the Hilux van in which they used in conveying them back to the prison by the security personnel as angry crowd started throwing stones at the van and in the process a few people were injured in chaos.

The crowd which gathered on hearing about trial, rained insults on the suspects and hurled them with stones. The charged atmosphere compelled the trial Sharia Judge, Yakubu Aliyu, lawyers and group of journalists to run for safety. The Counsel to the Sharia Commission, Danlami Ayuba, had earlier told the boisterous court that one of the suspects, Ibrahim Marafa, is the Principal of a Government Secondary School. In the court proceeding, Counsel to the suspects, Abdul Musa told the court that he was not ready and sought for the bail of his clients to enable them study the charges which the bail application was however opposed by the Counsel to the Sharia Commission. The bail application was not granted and the case was adjourned to a later date to enable the prosecutors present their witnesses by the trial judge, El-Yaqub Aliyu.