The widespread concern regarding the rise in prostitution among Abuja’s residents of the Federal Capital Territory.
They expressed worry about the public annoyance being brought on by commercial sex workers, also known as “Olosho,” who are present throughout the city.
Several female nude dancers were detained during a Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) raid on a popular nightclub in May 2019.
The degree of commercial s*x work in Abuja has increased over time, according to DAILY POST, despite the fact that the law forbids such activity.
Most of the women engaged in commercial sex activities, according to locals who deplored the nasty trend, are teenage females who were transported into the area from other States.
According to sections 223, 224, and 225 of the Nigerian Criminal Code, teenage prostitution and running or owning brothels are crimes.
This may have something to do with why FCTA officials demolished Chris Garden and Guest Inn, a well-known brothel, on September 17, 2020 at Dakibiu, Jabi, a suburb of the territory.
A place where men and women go to exchange sex and cash, Chris Garden was a bar as well as one of Abuja’s largest and maybe oldest sex clubs.
Across the area, there are still a lot of brothels operating under the cover of bars. Most all-night bars have apartments attached to them where men from various ages and backgrounds meet women for sex.
Areas in Kubwa, Dutse Alhaji, Gwarimpa, Wuse Zone 4, Garki II, Mpape, and Utako are more concerning.
In Kubwa, in addition to the hotels that currently exist, it is fashionable to convert homes intended for domestic use into hotels. In Kubwa, there aren’t many streets with two or more hotels.
Similar to this, the availability of beer parlors and lounges has significantly boosted the demand for commercial sex.
In an interview with the Daily Post on Saturday, Mr. Alex Akor, a resident of Kubwa in the Bwari Area Council, identified a number of locations as no-go areas and emphasized that the prostitutes occasionally force themselves on bystanders.
Because of those Olosho ladies, decent guys avoid certain regions of this Kubwa, especially at night, he declared. They are prepared to drag you into their net whether or not you have their time.
“It is extremely uncomfortable to witness some of these gals inviting you to come over while engaging in pointless conversation down the road.
The worst time to visit Dutse’s Sokale Roundabout is after dark. You’ll regret your actions for going there. Just a month ago, I was there attempting to find someone who could fix my automobile when suddenly, I heard a beckoning.
“I yelled at her to leave me alone because I thought, “This one na Olosho,” after seeing how she was dressed. You can imagine how she started fighting with me after hearing that I had slept with her and refused to pay.
Pastor Elijah Michael of the Christian Evangelical Ministry in Abuja, who discussed the issue with DAILY POST, attributed the tendency to poverty and a lack of job opportunities.
The man of God asserted that because of government negligence, people in Nigeria now “perform unthinkable things just to survive.”
I’ve interacted with many of these women you termed prostitutes, he continued. Every time we encounter them while evangelizing, I am brought to tears. Until someone opens up to you, you won’t know why they do what they do.
“Some of those girls are good, but their circumstances—both financial and otherwise—forced them to commit the crime. Some of them had previously told us that they support their families by working in the commercial s*x industry.
“Our ministry has been providing whatever assistance we can to some of them. Even in broad daylight, you can visit some areas and watch them almost consuming you. May God grant us a capable leader who will bring about economic growth and end suffering.
Additionally, Mr. Arumona Anthony, a psychologist and PhD candidate at Benue State University Makurdi, raised concern about the effects that prostitutes have on society, particularly among minors, in a phone conversation with our correspondent yesterday in Abuja.
“Like it or not, the prostitutes are with us both in the market, and other social gatherings, their manner of dressed, and the way they speak might have a detrimental impact on our children, therefore the trend may not go away anytime soon,” he stated.
“Now, there is what we refer to as non-declarative memory, which is also known as implicit memory; it develops in people unintentionally.
“Our innocent children are exposed to these people even while they are riding in their parents’ cars at night, and I can assure you that many of them unintentionally imitate the lifestyle and live it when they are away from their parents.”
One of the sex workers, who only went by the name Helen, informed our correspondent that she had been recruited into the industry since 2018 by a friend.
“In 2018, one of my friends introduced me to Abuja, and I’ve been doing this ever since. After she assured me she would introduce me to one company that would make me wealthy, she and I left Akwa Ibom. When I arrived, I was shocked to learn that this was what they did.
“I could do nothing except follow them. I occasionally make up to $20,000 per day, but some days are dry. To maintain our way of life, we occasionally turn to our funds, she remarked.
The FCT minister’s chief press secretary, Tony Ogunyemi, was unable to answer his phone or respond to a text message provided to him, making attempts by DAILY POST to contact the FCTA unsuccessful.
