The suspect, Mr. Festus Udechukwu
According to reliable sources, Mr. Festus Udechukwu who was born on the 8th of August 1990 was caught red-handed committing homosexual act with one Mr. Emeka Okonkwo on the 21st of
December 2013. After he was apprehended, he managed to escape from the hands of the community authorities who had wanted to torture him before setting him ablaze. In Nigeria and Nnewi in particular, homosexualism is a serious offence that attracts grievous sanctions and in some cases could attract death penalty.
Since his escape from Nnewi, all efforts by family members and the community to trace his whereabout have proved abortive. Nobody in the community has seen or heard from him or knows his whereabout. He has not bothered to get in touch with members of his family or friends apparently because of the fear of being attacked or killed.
Festus Udechukwu who is the son of Mr. Lotanna Udechukwu and Mrs. Chika Udechukwu from Abubor Nnewichi Nnewi North L.G.A. of Anambra State has been suspected of having homosexual tendencies over the years but no concrete evidence was ever brought against him until that fateful day when he was caught in the act by vigilant villagers who have been suspecting his movement and that of his accomplice (Emeka Okonkwo) for months.
Lamenting the whereabout of her brother, the senior sister to Festus Udechukwu, Chinwe Udechukwu called on the general public to help trace her brother. According to her: “It is true that our brother Festus actually committed the offence. It is also true that he was about to be killed before he narrowly escaped, but I am pleading with the community to temper justice with mercy and allow our brother to come back safely. The whole family is traumatized because for over 2 years now, no one has set eyes on him. We don’t know whether he is alive or dead. We appeal to those his action might have caused pains to please finds a place in their hearts to forgive him. We want our brother Festus Chinenye back. The only problem he has is this issue of homosexualism which we have tried everything both traditional and spiritual to cure, all to no avail. We have taken him to different prayer houses and visited some traditional healers to see now the evil spirit of homosexualism can be cast out of him, but all our efforts ended in vain until he was caught on the 21st of December 2013. As soon as he escaped from the hands of those who arrested him, he took to his heels and since then, he is nowhere to be found. We are afraid for his life because the authorities have vowed to kill him.”
Commenting on the incident, the head of the Vigilante Group that apprehended him, Mr. Nnamdi Oformata said: “Yes, he was actually caught and brought to us and in our effort to interrogate and deal with him, he narrowly escaped. Since then, we have combed everywhere without seeing him. The offence he committed is a very serious one. In Igbo land, homosexualism is an abomination. It is not allowed and anyone caught in such an unholy act is seriously dealt with. We don’t allow such kind of transgression in our community. We are still looking for him and whenever he is found, he will be made to face the laws of the land.”
Under the Nigerian Criminal Code, any person who permits a male person to have carnal knowledge of him or her against the order of nature is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.