POLICE detectives in the Delta State Asaba have arrested 21 students for being involved in homosexual activities in the latest clampdown on lesbian and gay activities by the authorities.

On January 7 2014, former president Dr Goodluck Jonathan signed Nigeria's Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill into law, which makes being gay punishable with 14 years in jail. Since the passing of the law, Nigeria has been under pressure from the international community to tone it down, as the criminalisation of people simply for the sexuality is regarded as a breach of human rights. 

However, the authorities have used the new law as an excuse to clamp down hard on gay and lesbian activities. Over the weekend, it appears that the two Delta State-owned polytechnics were raided by the police who got wind that the institutions were a beehive of perverse sexual acts as male students engage in same-sex activities for financial gains.

Celestina Kalu, a spokeswoman for Delta State Police Command, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects, said the police acted on a tip off. Investigations revealed that homosexuality has been on the rise in the two institutions and culprits were also members of various cult groups.

Ms Kalu said: “We had it on good authority that the male students allegedly engaged in anal sex. The suspects, upon interrogation, made useful statements to the police while investigations are ongoing.”

 Nigeria's Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2014 punishes gay relationships with 14 years in prison and belonging to gay associations with 10 years in prison. It also criminalises a failure to report homosexual activity to police, which automatically threatens the friends and families of gays living in Nigeria.