Thursday 1st of September 2022, witnessed a horrific death of an alleged homosexual, Ayoola Oladapo, who was lynched at Escalade Lounge & Bar, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
According to an eye witness (name withheld), who worked at the bar, Mr. Ayoola who was said to be in his early twenties alongside his sexual partner, one Mr. Tokan-Odukoya Oreoluwa, had come to the lounge to relax and have a good time.
The eye witness explained that the two young boys sat, had some drinks and suddenly nobody saw or knew their whereabouts until one of the customers, one Mr. Gideon Ipadeola, caught them kissing at the rest room and alerted everyone about the two boys allegedly practicing homosexuality.
According to the eye witness, the two boys tried to escape but were held down and severely assaulted.
Mr. Ipadeola added that the mob searched the two boys and found on them their student Identity cards
From the student identity cards, it was deduced that the boys were students of Cyprus International University, Northern Cyprus.
Meanwhile, it was reported that one of the homosexuals, Tokan-Odukoya Oreoluwa, was fortunate to escape after his alleged partner passed out; and in the course of the mobs trying to resuscitate him, the former seized the opportunity to flee the scene.
It was gathered that after Mr. Ayoola was resuscitated, the mob allegedly set him ablaze.
Before the deceased was lynched, it was gathered that the mob wrote on the shirt of the deceased, “End of a homosexual!”
“This will serve as deterrent to all the people that engage in immoral acts like, homosexuality, lesbianism and the likes. The deceased used his own hand to cut short his life. This will serve as lesson for others to either change their ways now or be prepared to meet their end same way”, a group in the mob threatened.
Meanwhile, the Ijebu Ode Police Command has ordered the shutdown of Escalade Lounge & Bar until further notice.
The Police have also directed that Mr. Tokan-Odukoya Oreoluwa, who is the deceased sexual partner, be apprehended and brought in for questioning.
In the meantime, the Police Force has pleaded with youths not to take laws into their hands but rather report any grievances, anomalies or crime to the authorities.
The Police also assured that the perpetrators behind the killing of Mr. Ayoola would be apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.
In light of this incident, global Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) groups have sworn not to remain silent and would be going ahead with a campaign to stand in solidarity with Nigeria’s LGBTQ community.
However, the groups remain optimistic that Nigeria would change its leanings to uphold and enforce LGBTQ rights.
In 2013, the Federal Government of Nigeria, under President Goodluck Jonathan, passed the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act into law.
The law criminalizes same sex relationship with up to fourteen years imprisonment for anyone found liable in the commission of the offence.
