Cross River Police Command Declares Izuchukwu Wanted for Same-sex Crime

By Okon Bassey

The Cross River State Police Command has declared an Ebonyi State-born Ani Stanley Izuchukwu, 34, wanted for crime bordering on same-sex act and other act of criminality.

The state police command, in its warrant of arrest made available to journalists, stated that the elders in Itam community, Calabar, the state capital, caught Stanley red handed in the act of having sex with a fellow man (who is now in police net). explaining “that the suspects were caught in the act, knowing that it is a crime to do so in their community and the country as a whole. They will be prosecuted according to the law.”

The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Irene Ugbo, said the incident was reported at the Calabar Police headquarters few days ago of a young man defiling another man, which is a sacrilege in the community.

In the police warrant/report issued and signed by PPRO Irene Ugbo, on behalf of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Augustine Grimah, stated that: “This office is investigating a matter relating to his involvement in same-sex act, and in order to facilitate our investigation, he are requested to report to the office of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Calabar Police Station.”

It added that: “The Command’s tactical teams, following credible intelligence received recently from your community, uncovered that he have been involved in an act of homosexuality, which he know is highly prohibited in our community, and against the constitution of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, elders in Itam community have alleged that they suspected many of the youths in the area are into the practice of homosexuality, where Izuchkwu’s name was mentioned, which they stated it’s highly prohibited in their community.

It is worthy of note that homosexuality is “an act against the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria.”

The elders of the community told local pressmen that they learnt that the suspect “had practiced homosexuality while he was in the secondary school, until he was caught involved in such despicable act.”

Homosexuality is highly prohibited in Nigeria mostly in traditional communities where deities are still being worshiped. Same-sex act in Nigeria is illegal. The law of the country imposes 14 years imprisonment for anyone involved in homosexuality. There are no gay rights in the country, as well as many other African countries.

The community has vowed that after the police have apprehended Stanley, a cleansing would be carried out, adding that while the police prosecute him and his accomplice, according to the Same-sex Act provision in the constitution, they will be expelled from the community “for committing sacrilege against the gods of the land.”

However, when contacted, the family of Stanley denied all the allegations laid against their son, saying they thought of him as a bisexual, “because Stanly is happily married with one child

At their family house at No 56 Egerton Road, Calabar, his elder brother, Antony Nnaji disclosed that it was possible that Stanley belonged to a youth group capable of extreme social life, who might have stepped on many toes, “but not an outright gay, and now they want to destroy him.”

”