A group of 53 people has been charged in northern Nigeria’s Kaduna state with “conspiring” to celebrate a gay wedding at a motel, the local Premium Times newspaper reports.
The group pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, unlawful assembly and belonging to an unlawful society during a court appearance in Chediya-Zaria.
Defence lawyer Yunusa Umar said most of the accused were students and had been illegally detained for more than 24 hours, the newspaper reported.
The magistrate released them on bail and the case was remanded to 8 May.
Homosexual acts are illegal in socially conservative Nigeria.
Prosecutor Mannir Nasir was quoted as saying that the 53 were arrested on 15 April:
“Information reached the police that these group of persons conspired to celebrate a gay marriage at Zaria Motel.”