Prostitutes Abeokuta
Police interventions against prostitution in Abeokuta, Ogun State, have been ongoing for years. In one operation, men of the Ogun State Police Command rescued 22 teenage girls lured from Akwa Ibom State into prostitution in Abeokuta. Police spokesperson DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi disclosed this in a statement. Authorities have frequently arraigned sex workers, such as 12 charged for indecent behaviour on multiple occasions (4 Aug 2015, 8 May 2021, 17 Oct 2023). Suspects allegedly recruiting girls to Ghana were also nabbed (28 May 2024). Tragically, violence plagues sex workers, including an 18-year-old boy stabbing a prostitute to death (17 Oct 2023, 5 Aug 2015) and an 18-year-old ex-convict committing a similar crime (5 Aug 2015). An 18-year-old suspect was later arrested for stabbing a prostitute to death (31 Jul 2023), and police arrested a suspect over the killing of a sex worker (28 Dec 2018).
Sex Workers’ Rights and Dangers
Sex workers in Abeokuta face extreme dangers, including ritual killings. Dozens of prostitutes held a candlelight procession honouring a colleague killed by ritualists. Reports indicate sex workers battled ritual killers (8 Nov 2012) and grieving prostitutes mourned slain colleagues. They also staged protests against these ritual killings and demanded safety. The Ogun government moved against prostitutes, ejecting traders from MKO Abiola Stadium due to prostitution links (5 Aug 2015). Brothels and escort services, like those advertised on EscortHub.org or listed on NgEX, operate in the city. Founder of Church of the Lord of Israel, Olomore, Ebenezer Ajigbotoluwa, was linked to issues involving sex trafficking and modern slavery (2 Apr 2019).
Studies and Rehabilitation Efforts
Academic and policy responses have emerged alongside enforcement. Studies include AO Fawole’s 2008 work on violence against pregnant women, HIV/AIDS awareness among university students, and HIV risk perception among female sex workers (18 Oct 2023). Bunmi Adigun spoke at the council secretariat in Abeokuta about human nuisances and social vices like sex trafficking. Rehabilitation efforts include the Ogun State government empowering 50 female sex workers (25 Oct 2018) and Amotekun rescuing 16 women forced into prostitution. Nigerian teenage girls renounced prostitution in Ogun (21 Aug 2022).
Broader Context and Incidents
Incidents involving prostitution in Abeokuta span various facets. A septuagenarian died during sex with a prostitute (24 Jul 2017). Sheriff Balogun reported the arrest of two suspected prostitutes for killing a man. The Ogun State Police Command continues operations, rescuing underage girls lured into prostitution (17 Oct 2023). Cross-border issues exist, like Ghana police arresting 41 Nigerian prostitutes and 14 clients (31 May 2017), reported from Abeokuta. Brothels and escort listings persistently appear online, reflecting the entrenched nature of the issue.
*TAGS* – ritual killings of sex workers, underage prostitution rescue, Ogun State rehabilitation programs
