Wednesday, 14th February 2024, Valentine’s day, turned gruesome for residents of Evboesi in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State as the community witnessed an angry mob set fire on a house allegedly occupied by lesbians.
According to Omono Idemudia, a resident in the community, the said house, was occupied by Ms. Doris Osayande and her female friends.
According to the eyewitness, Ms. Doris and her friends, in their late twenties, were allegedly practicing lesbianism.
Ms. Omono added that the matter remained speculative as there was no proof to corroborate the allegation.
Although she admitted she had never seen a man enter nor exit the house, it was alleged that one of the Doris’s friends living with them in the house was a married woman but had left her husband, Mr. Isaac Omoregbee, to reside with her lesbian partner.
It was gathered that the Mr. Isaac Omoregbee had reported to the community chairman about his wife’s escapades with her same-sex lover in Evboesi community.
It was also gathered that the community chairman ordered the community youths to set ablaze the house of the alleged lesbians following the insinuations of homosexuality levied against the ladies.
It was also reported that two minors, aged between two and four years, were said to have been burnt to death in the fire incident, although at the time of this report, the identities of the victims were yet to be ascertained.
However, it was learnt that the deceased children were those of the married lady who had allegedly moved in with her lesbian partner.
It was further learnt that the victims’ father had already taken the corpses away for burial.
The eyewitness confirmed that the dastardly act was based on the premise that homosexuality was considered a sacrilege in Evboesi community and unlawful in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Federal Government in 2013 passed the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act into law.
The law criminalizes any form of same sex relationships in Nigeria with punishment up to fourteen years imprisonment, if found liable of the said offense.
Meanwhile, the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO[ of Evboesi Police Command, Mr. Ishola Shittu has confirmed that the Police were presently investigating the arson and deaths but cautioned the youths not to take laws into their hands.
Mr. Ishola added that the community chairman had been invited for questioning over his alleged orders to the youths to set the ladies’ house ablaze.
He said the Police would get to the bottom of the matter as he assured residents of the community to go about their normal activities assuring them that the Police would investigate the case and bring all the perpetrators to face the wrath of the law.
“The perpetrators behind the arson and deaths of the minors would be apprehended and brought to book”, the DCO assured.
Meanwhile, respondents to our correspondent’s queries have expressed hopes that the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government would take a tough stance against jungle justice against homosexuals as well as curb its reoccurrence.
