The security forces of Nigeria More than 70 youths have been arrested and charged with organizing a gay wedding in Gombe Statein the north of the country, authorities reported on Monday.

Marriage between two people of the same sex is illegal in Nigeria.and Gombe is part of the Northern States, which have a Muslim majority and where Islamic law governs in parallel with federal and state law.

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The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), a paramilitary organization, raided a premises in Gombe on Saturday and arrested youths they accused of hosting a “gay party” and planning a wedding between two men, Buhari Saad, spokesperson for the local NSCDC.

“We arrested 76 alleged homosexuals (…) who were celebrating a birthday organized by one of them who planned to marry” his partner at the event, Saad said. The Homosexuality is punishable by death in northern Nigeriaas determined by the shariaIslamic law, although this punishment is never applied.

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In 2014, Nigeria passed legislation to ban same-sex marriage and promote civil unions. Saad declined to specify whether the prisoners will be tried by an Islamic court or by state jurisdiction. (JO)