A number of men who were arrested by Nigerian police on suspicion of homosexuality have spoken out, saying they were at a birthday party.
Police in Nigeria reportedly raided Kelly Ann Hotel and Event Centre in Egbeda, Lagos, at about 2am on Sunday (August 26) and arrested 57 men on suspicion of having gay sex.
However, some of the detained men have now spoken out to local press, saying that they were at a friend’s birthday celebrations.
One man, James Brown, who is a dancer, told Gist Town that he had been hired to perform at the event.
The 20-year old, who said he is not gay, added that he is HIV-positive and claimed that police have taken away his medication.
“I went there to work and get paid. The party was on Saturday and it [was] meant to be overnight,” he told the publication.
“I was arrested and have been denied to even take my drugs which is for medical reasons.”
He also said that there were around 25 women at the party, but that police only arrested the men.
In Nigeria, people convicted of having gay sex can spend up to 14 years in prison – apart from in 12 northern states with Sharia law, where they are stoned to death.
The raid is the second such police action this month, after six men in the south-eastern state of Abia were arrested in a hotel for the same reason.
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