Leadership reports:
Although it has been over 25years in the
making, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stands to represent a truly
world class city, which has the potential of becoming one of the world’s
megacities.
The city boasts of an
orderly transportation system, good road networks; people actually obey traffic
lights, the sprawling Abuja Skyline, and iconic buildings.
Notwithstanding, there
is of course all the usual, high crime, high standard of living, government
opulence etc., associated with all big cities.
Like every other urban
settlement, the FCT, also have its fair share of the activities of commercial
sex workers.
A drive through the
city, especially at night, will unearth the lire of these women of easy virtue
to anyone who knows his way around town. One of the dens of these recalcitrant
“runs girls”, is Lagos Street situated off Akintola Boulevard way at Garki II
District.
LEADERSHIP
investigation revealed that the popular Lagos Street which used to be the hub
of respectable and decent activities, and also a residential area, has been largely
converted to a coven for commercial sex workers and carnival of beer parlours
for men and women who patronise these “daughters of eve”.
The scenery that meets
a first-timer at Lagos Street is that of a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah where
people live in wanton abandonment and disregard for the law or the teachings of
religious leaders.
LEADERSHIP observed
that the commercial sex workers, between the age of 14 to 30-year-old wear
skimpy wears and flaunt their bodies to attract prospective customers while the
older ones sit in beer parlours or stand in front of their brothels. Their mode
of operation reveals that the profession is highly competitive as the younger
ones strive to beat the older ones in sourcing for patronage.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP,
an FCT resident, Mrs Gladys Ikechukwu, a trader within the area, said the
commercial sex workers throng nearby gardens, hotels and brothels depending on
how viable business was for the day.
Mrs Ikechukwu said:
“Our major concern is when this kind of thing would come to an end in this
area; the rate at which the trade is growing in this part of the FCT is quite
alarming. Lagos Street is quickly turning to the hub of commercial sex workers.
“However, when these
ladies are done with their business for the night in the area they try to make
brisk business in nearby gardens, hotels and brothels, lurking around or
crisscrossing wherever people gather, especially around Rite Loren Hotel axis.
Another resident who
lives within the axis, Mr Donatus Joshua, narrates that like any other area
where commercial sex workers operate, illicit drugs and marijuana business also
thrives in the area, adding that the use of such substance makes them carefree
and aggressive.
Joshua said: “Their
activities constitute a nuisance in this area and it is negatively affecting
the upbringing of our children; we can’t even enter our compound once its 7 pm,
there are several occasions when somebody will just come and pack at my gate
discussing price with a commercial sex worker. It is really embarrassing, and
the beer parlour operators are not helping matters as they consistently pollute
the area with loud, worldly music. Residents are just helpless in this
situation because we can’t run away from our homes because of commercial sex
worker and beer parlour operators.”
LEADERSHIP gathered
that some of the commercial sex workers lodge in brothels near the area at N4,
000 per night. The exorbitant price of renting a room in the hotel forces most
of them to pair themselves to rent a lodge while those who cannot afford it
come from nearby communities like Durumi, Kabusa, Apo, Nyanya and other areas
where they pay as low as N2, 500 per night.
LEADERSHIP caught up
with one of the commercial sex workers, who simply identified herself as Tina.
She explained that the rate for customers varies depending on the class of the
prospective customer.
According to her: “The
bargain depends on the time, class and desperation of the customers. We charge
between N1, 000 to N1, 500 for short time while all night business is from N3,
500 and above. It depends on the
pocket of the customer.
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