Three young men have allegedly raped a male commercial tricyclist in Awka, Anambra State, south-east Nigeria.
The incident happened on Monday.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the young men, suspected to be internet fraudsters, boarded the victim’s tricycle to a house in Okpuno, a suburb of Awka, the capital of the state.
The suspects were said to have lured the victim into their room and took turns to rape him.
Residents said the suspects must have carried out the act for ritual purposes.
The identities of both the suspects and the victim were yet to be ascertained.
When contacted on Wednesday, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident.
He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Echeng Echeng, has ordered that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the police for investigations.
“Meanwhile, the result from the doctor’s report shows that there is penetration into his (victim) anus but the suspects are in denial,” he said.
Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said one of the suspects has been arrested and that two others were on the run.
Prohibited in Nigeria
Nigeria in 2014 enacted a law against gay relationships and same-sex marriage.
The law also criminalises meeting of homosexuals or operating or attending a gay club, society or organisation. Offenders face a maximum of 14-year jail term.
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In northern states of Nigeria, where Sharia laws are enforced, persons convicted of homosexual offences could be stoned to death.
Nigeria, in 2015, enacted the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act, which outlawed all forms of violence against women and girls, including rape, female circumcision and forceful ejection, among others.
Offenders, on conviction, face life imprisonment or a maximum of 14-year jail term, depending on the age of the offender and the type of violence committed.
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