Senate Orders Police To Completely Rid Abuja Of Prostitutes and Beggars

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The Nigerian Senate on Thursday disclosed that it had issued a directive to the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to rid the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, of commercial sex workers and beggars.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Dino Melaye, while addressing newsmen, stated that commercial sex workers, beggars and hoodlums had become a menace in the federal capital.

Melaye said the senate had invited the FCT police commissioner and the NSCDC commandant to brief lawmakers about the growing insecurity in the FCT and the need to take steps to curb the trend.

He is quoted by The Nation to have said, “Last week we summoned the commissioner of police in the FCT and the commandant of NSCDC because as a committee and the Senate we are appalled with the security situation in Abuja

“We are also very uncomfortable with the number of hoodlums on the streets of Abuja. We have beggars, destitutes and commercial sex workers spread across several parts of the city and we have given a marching order to the commissioner of police and the commandment of NSCDC to clear them.

“We have also instructed the FCT to provide logistics for the immediate evacuation of all dissidents and beggars including those little boys who claim they are helping you to clean your glass and by so doing they are adding additional dents to your cars.”

The senate’s orders however raise a few concerns considering the history of security agents who have regularly harassed ladies under the pretext of arresting sex workers. Olisablogazine contributor, Onyeka Nwelue recently wrote of one such encounter in Abuja.

In that incident, a lady accused of being a sex worker was physically assaulted by soldiers who similarly dealt Mr Nwelue a blow when he tried to intervene.

Residents of other major cities have at different times recounted similar tales where armed officers arrest law abiding citizens for supposedly walking at night, a clear violation of constitutionally guaranteed freedom of movement.

In 2016, up to 100 persons were arrested after task force officials stormed some brothels in Lagos, after which about 30 sex workers were sentenced to hours of community service. As is usually the case, their patrons were either not arrested or released.

For many who fear that the directive given to the police in Abuja may open a new wave of harassment and extortion, their concerns are valid. One can only hope the senate revisits the directive to ensure that the rights of all Nigerians are respected.

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