The Nigerian Police, Oyo State Command, have increased their efforts to apprehend two suspected same-sex perpetrators, Akeem Hassan Abiodun, 43, and Oyebode Oyeniran Olanrewaju, 42 (both male), who were caught in the act on November 11, 2024, at Bode Kumopaiyi Street, Ibadan, Oyo State, on the basis of their alleged homosexuality, in the latest example of the country’s harsh stance toward the gay community.
It would be recalled that the former president, Goodluck Jonathan, signed the same-sex marriage prohibition bill in 2014, which prohibits marriage, same-sex cohabitation, and any public display of same-sex amorous relationships.
According to a statement recently posted by the police authority on their official handle, the police had traced Akeem Hassan, one of the suspects, to Lalupon, a suburb of Ibadan, and initiated a manhunt to apprehend him and ensure he faced the law, according to a police statement.
However, a police investigation revealed that after the two suspects fled the crime scene, one of them, Akeem Hassan, ran to Lalupon because the digital tracking of his mobile phone number indicated that he had arrived in Lalupon and hid with a relative on October 20, 2025.
His relative, Ibrahim Hassan, said that when the police arrested him and later released him on bail, Akeem Hassan Abiodun had left his place the day after arriving, stating that he had returned to Ibadan. And since then he has not heard any information about his whereabouts.
The authorities then intensified their search efforts in Ibadan and environs, hoping to uncover any leads that might reveal Akeem Hassan’s location. Meanwhile, Ibrahim was questioned further, as investigators sought to determine whether he had any additional information that could aid in locating the bisexual fugitives.
Police from the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Iyaganku, Oyo State, had earlier issued letters of invitations twice, directing Akeeem Hassan and his gay partner to report for questioning, first on 14 November 2024 and another on 25 August 2025, but they failed to honor the letter; rather, they took to their heels to escape justice.
As the clock ticked closer to the deadline, authorities grew increasingly concerned about the fugitives’ ability to evade arrest. They intensified their efforts, enlisting the help of local communities to provide tips and potential sightings, hoping to bring the duo to justice before they could vanish completely.
Packaged by Emmanuel Okafor
