An independent human rights advocacy organisation, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), has decried Delta State Police Command's speedy arrest and parading of over 100 persons suspected to be conducting gay marriage in a hotel in the Warri area of the state.
SaharaReporters had reported that Delta State Police Command of the Nigeria Police Force arrested over 100 men suspected to be carrying out a “gay wedding ceremony”, in the state.
SaharaReporters gathered that the gay club party was organised at Teebulos Hotel, in Warri South Local Government Area of the State.
Reacting to the incident, RULAAC described the arrest and parade of the over 100 persons before the media by the police as abuse of due process and double standards.
RULAAC expressed serious concern over the arrest and their parade before the media while the same state police command has ignored a petition by a coalition of civil society organisations against the Delta-based self-acclaimed human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, for over three months.
RULAAC in a statement by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said, "Whereas we acknowledge that Homosexual relationships are criminalised in Nigeria there are, nonetheless, established legal procedures for the treatment of persons accused of crime.
"Persons accused of committing any offence under the law are entitled to be presumed innocent until they are found guilty following a fair trial in a court of competent jurisdiction. They are also entitled to be treated with dignity.
"The point has been made repeatedly that parading suspects before the media is illegal, unconstitutional and prejudicial to fair hearing and fair trial.
"It is an illegal and unprofessional law enforcement method that violates human dignity and subverts the Constitutional right to presumption of innocence. It amounts to convicting the suspects without trial.
"We are amazed that the Delta State Police Command could be this prompt and efficient in arresting and parading gay suspects. Yet, more than 3 months after the Inspector-General of Police forwarded to the CP Delta a petition from a coalition of Civil Society organisations concerning allegations of 'Obtaining by False Pretenses' against a Delta State-based, self-acclaimed human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, the Command has taken no action known to the petitioners.
"Harrison Gwamnishu was accused of defrauding several victims of millions of naira in his fake claim to activism.
"The IGP's directive to the CP Delta dated 15 May, 2023, entitled 'Alleged Fraud and Obtaining Money by False Pretenses against Harrison Gwamnishu by a Group of CSOs' signed by CSP Idris Abdullahi Abubakar PSO to IGP directed the CP Delta to 'handle'.
"Three months after, the petitioners are yet to hear anything about the investigation. Recently, Harrison Gwamnishu posted a photograph of himself and CP Wale Abass in his Facebook page where he described the Delta CP as 'a father to me' and said he 'appreciate his fatherly love to me'.
"We condemn the abuse of legally established procedures for handling crime suspects by parading the gay suspects before the media thereby flagrantly violating their due process rights. We call on the police to not further violate their rights. They should release them on bail or promptly charge them.
"We also condemn the double standards by the Delta Command in ignoring the directive of the IGP to investigate allegations of crime against Harrison Gwamnishu. We call on the CP Delta to comply with the directive of the IGP and ensure unbiased and effective investigation of the allegations against Harrison Gwamnishu."