Suspected Homosexuals Escape Lynching in Ebonyi

By Joel Ndubuisi

Two suspected homosexuals, Ihemeje Divine and Callistus Chibueze Alagba, narrowly escaped lynching after being beaten by youths and local vigilante officials in Ebonyi State.

According to an eyewitness who wished to remain anonymous, Callistus and Divine, both undergraduate students in the Department of Industrial Chemistry at Ebonyi State University, were caught engaging in a homosexual act in their hostel room on April 19, 2014.

A neighbor raised alarm, alerting the local vigilante and passersby, who rushed into the room and dragged the two young men out.

They were beaten with sticks and belts, leaving them in critical condition.

This incident occurred months after President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, which criminalizes gay marriage and organizations.

In many parts of Nigeria, homosexuality is considered an abominable act and a criminal offense punishable by 14 years imprisonment.

Chinedu Okafor, an occupant of the hostel, described the scene as chaotic. “The mob was ruthless. They kept shouting about cleansing the school of sin. By the time security arrived, the boys were barely conscious.” Okafor stated that one of the suspects, Callistus Chibueze Alagba, escaped during the commotion, and was declared wanted by the vigilante and has not been seen since the incident. while the other, Ihemeje Divine, was handed over to the police.

According to Divine, he had been introduced to homosexuality by someone named Emmanuel Okeke in 2013 and had since engaged in the act with over 50 youths, including Chibueze. Divine expressed regret for his actions and prayed for Chibueze’s safety.

However, efforts by The Voice Newspaper to obtain a reaction from the Police Public Relations Officer were unsuccessful, as he did not pick calls put to his mobile.