Gombe State, Nigeria – The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Gombe State Command, successfully prevented a same-sex wedding ceremony from taking place, resulting in the arrest of 76 individuals allegedly involved in the plan.
Buhari Sa’ad, the State Public Relations Officer, revealed this development during a press briefing held at the command’s headquarters in Gombe, representing the State Commandant, Mohammed Muazu.
Out of the 76 suspects apprehended, 59 were males, with 21 reportedly admitting to being homosexuals, while 17 females were also taken into custody.
Sa’ad explained, “They were apprehended at Duwa Plaza along Bauchi-Gombe Expressway, where they were in the midst of celebrating a homosexual birthday and had intentions of conducting a same-sex wedding before our enforcement team intervened.”
“The 59 male detainees included 21 who voluntarily confessed to their homosexuality, and 17 females were found at the scene. They will face legal charges related to this social vice, which is a criminal offense in Gombe State,” he added.
In a separate operation, the NSCDC also arrested three individuals involved in illegal mining activities in the Akko Local Government Area of the state. The arrest took place at a site in the Gamawa community, where the suspects were allegedly operating without the appropriate mining clearance approved by the Federal Government.
Commandant Muazu commented on the significance of this arrest, stating, “Our team acted on a tip-off from concerned citizens and found the suspects operating with heavy machinery. Despite their claims of being the legitimate site owners with a license, we discovered that their approval was for Laterite sand, not coal mining as they were engaged in.”
Following the incident, the NSCDC reported the matter to the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and the state Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. As a result, the command has ordered a temporary suspension of all activities at the site until proper clearance is obtained from the relevant authorities.
State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Sanusi Pindiga, announced the suspension of all mining activities across the state and urged all miners to undergo screening and clearance processes at the ministry. He emphasized the importance of proper authorization to prevent the adverse effects of mining on the environment, farmlands, and communities.
Pindiga stated, “A legitimate miner should report to the appropriate authority before commencing operations. We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our people and their land.”