The recent arrest and assault of women around Abuja, many of whom are later labelled prostitutes, did not start in 2019. See a 2014 report we did here.
An Abuja-based NGO, Society Against Prostitution and Child Labour in Nigeria , in collaboration with Abuja Environmental Protection Board have elected to embark on a controversial campaign to rid Nigeria’s capital city of prostitutes. But it seems the campaign is being waged on the wrong side of the law following allegations of abuses and highhandedness, which grossly violate the provisions of Nigeria’s Constitution.
Just as they walked out of the club towards the road to board a taxi, two buses pulled up. Like a scene from a Hollywood movie, she said, armed soldiers and policemen jumped out, cocked their riffles, took them violently and threw them into the waiting buses. Since the law does not permit an NGO to carry out such audacious campaign, its patrons enlisted the support of the fiery Abuja Environmental Protection Board , and the police and got funding from countries that have largely lifted their citizens from abject poverty.
And that is why Ms. Ojo and many others are angry. Indeed, they are so angry for the humiliation, pain and anguish of being falsely labeled, paraded and treated as prostitutes. Struggling hard to control her emotion, she continued, “They then asked us to pay N5, 000 each to secure our freedom. Those who had the money paid and were released instantly. Others who had relatives called them to come and buy their freedom. Being a mere youth-corps member, I had no money and no one to call. I was charged to a mobile court the next morning where the magistrate discharged and acquitted me of any wrongdoing. But the humiliation, disgrace, and stigma of the ordeal are indelible.
Milliam Olufu said she was dragged from her SUV and beaten up on the allegation that she was a commercial sex worker. A lady who gave her name simply as Hanatu said security operatives attached to the NGO shot her on the leg for standing up to challenge the attempt to arrest her illegally. A house wife, who gave her name simply as Mrs.
She said, “With them, no ID card count and when I tried to call someone who could identify me, one of the operatives boasted that they too have a ‘big shot’ in the National Assembly and pulled out his phone and made some calls while another one said ‘let us call madam’ and he did.” Ms. Njemanze insists that some of the victims are forced by SAP-CLN and its collaborators to buy their freedom. However, she explained that some of those who could not pay are tortured before being taken to a mobile court where they are charged and sent to a rehabilitation camp for sex workers located in Sabon Lugbe off Umar Musa Yar’Adua Way.While criticisms of SAP-CLN have come in torrents, PREMIUM TIMES investigation shows that commercial sex practice is not permitted anywhere in the FCT.
Mr. Iba insisted that a boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife and even relations and friends might chose to attend a night party, a club or any kind of social gathering without let or hindrance. He said, “I have also heard that some of these people arrested by the NGO are sexually abused. Some of these girls that have been so violated cannot come out in public and speak out. I will support them to sue this NGO and their backers and by so doing, they will make some points clear to the public. Until that happens, the level of impunity in the country will not abate.”
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