Two persons are still in coma at the hospital following a bloody clash yesterday among male gay lovers at Oben community, a suburb of Benin, the Edo State capital.
Eight others were seriously injured when a fight broke out about 2am at the party organised at a popular hotel off Sapele Road. It was gathered that the party meant to welcome new members had turned awry when two male lovers engaged in a fierce fight over alleged infidelity.
It was learnt that a male partner caught his lover with another person. According to a source, misunderstanding started when one of the gays, identified as Ricky, caught his lover in a compromising position with another person. An argument ensued which degenerated to a fierce fight, leaving many persons with broken heads and torn clothes. Plastic chairs, broken bottles and other dangerous objects were freely used while other members took to their heels.
The residents of the agrarian community were said to have woken up and scampered for safety, believing armed robbers had invaded the area. A witness disclosed that strangers were not allowed access to the venue of the party while most members of the association of gays dressed in female apparels with colourful make-ups to attract their partners.
The witness said: “We have been suspecting the management of the hotel for some time now because some girls, who are lesbians, recently held a party here. We were shocked that no single male was in attendance. “But yesterday night (Tuesday), I wanted to go and buy a drink at the hotel when a young man walked up to me at the gate and said that his people had taken over the place.
I was shocked to notice that he was putting on tight leggings and wearing red lipsticks and wig, so I left the place immediately. “It was later in the night that we heard loud noise and saw some boys fight over another boy, thereby attracting people in the neighbourhood.” Those injured were said to have been rushed to an undisclosed hospital. Policemen on night patrol were later invited to arrest the situation but the place was deserted as the boys fled to avoid being arrested.
