The Jigawa State Hisbah Command has taken two men alleged to be engaging in homosexual act into custody.
The Hisbah Corps is the religious police force in Northern Nigeria responsible for the enforcement of Sharia.
Hisbah Commandant, Malam Ibrahim Dahiru, said the two men were apprehended in a hotel after some residents of the area overheard them arguing over money.
The two suspects were identified simply as Adamu and Tijjani and are aged 32 and 20, respectively. The incident was said to have happened in the Dutse Local Government Area (LGA) of Jigawa State.
Commandant Dahiru said:
“Today September 2, our personnel succeeded in arresting two persons in connection with an alleged homosexual act in Dutse. A 32-year-old man identified simply as Adamu, who resides at Unguwa Uku quarters in Kano state, invited his 20-year-old friend identified simply as Tijjani from Garkuwar Sarki quarters in Sokoto state. They perfected plans to meet through Facebook, after which Tijjani came down based on an agreement that he will be paid N50,000 after the act. They lodged at a hotel and passed the night together.”
According to media reports, the men had a disagreement over money the next morning and talked in raised voices.
“Adamu could not provide the N50,000 promised to his guest. And that was when they began to argue until people around overheard them and informed our personnel who immediately went to the scene and arrested them,” Malam Dahiru said.
Dahiru also said the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation. He also said the case would be transferred to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria. The maximum punishment for homosexual activity under the Shari’a law is death by stoning. Under secular criminal law, offenders convicted of homosexual act face a sentence of up to 14 years in jail.
