Having sex in car in public is criminal, says Lagos Police

Lagos State police boss, Imohimi Edgal has warned Lagosians against having sex in a car in a public space, whether the act is consensual or not.

A police spokesman Abayomi Shogunle said on Tuesday that having sex in a car parked in a public is not a crime insofar the “location is not a place of worship, parties are 18years and above, the act is consensual (agreed to by parties) and parties are of opposite sex.”

He insisted that persons who conform to the rules he mentioned cannot be arrested by the police.

He said if such persons are threatened with an arrest, they should lodge a complaint with the Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit of the Nigerian police.

But a spokesman for Lagos State police command said on Wednesday that such an act is not permissible in the state.

“Section 134 (a) Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 prohibits any indecent act in any public place without lawful excuse. The law holds that such a person is liable on conviction to 2 years imprisonment,” said Chike Oti, Lagos State police spokesman.

“Section 136 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2015 provides that any person who commits any act of gross indecency with another person in public commits an offence and liable on conviction to 3 years imprisonment.

“It must be noted that section 134 which deals with offences against morality particularly section 134 (a) have it that indecent act in a public place makes both parties engaging in the act liable to imprisonment for 2 years.

“In the same vein, section 231 of the Criminal Code Act which is a Federal law and applicable in states other than the northern states where Penal Code is applicable also make Indecent Acts punishable. Going forward, the authorities of the Lagos State Police Command hereby declares that the assertion that sex in a car in a public place is not a crime in Nigeria is misplaced as the provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State prohibits such acts in public even if it is done with the consent of the other party

“To this end, the Commissioner of Police, CP Imohimi Edgal wants Lagosians to be guided by relevant sections of the law against such acts.”