Prostitutes Abeokuta
Trafficking and Rescues
Police in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, have dealt with multiple incidents involving prostitution, trafficking, and violence against sex workers over the years. In November 2003, Houston police linked a DeSoto couple to forcing a teen into prostitution. Years later, the Ogun State Police Command rescued 22 teenage girls. These girls were lured from Akwa Ibom State to Abeokuta for prostitution, as confirmed by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi. Police also arrested suspects allegedly recruiting girls for prostitution in Ghana.
Violence Against Sex Workers
Sex workers themselves faced significant danger. In 2017, an 18-year-old boy stabbed a prostitute to death in Ogun. Ritual killings specifically targeted sex workers, prompting grieving prostitutes to hold candlelight processions in Abeokuta for slain colleagues. In another incident, two suspected prostitutes were arrested for killing a middle-aged man, Mr. Adeyinka Olayinka.
Police Raids and Arrests
Police actions included raiding brothels and arresting sex workers. In 2015, police arraigned 12 sex workers in Abeokuta for indecent behaviour. They also arrested suspects running a prostitution ring from a brothel in the state.
Community and Government Responses
Community and government responses varied. Prostitutes protested against the ritual killings of their colleagues. The Ogun State government initiated programs, like empowering 50 female sex workers in 2017. Conversely, the government also moved against prostitutes, ejecting traders (including suspected sex workers) from the MKO Abiola Stadium area. The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Abeokuta called for action against human nuisances and social vices,
implicitly including prostitution.
International Trafficking Operations
International trafficking also surfaced. Ghanaian police arrested 41 alleged Nigerian prostitutes and 14 clients in 2018. Within Nigeria, operations like “Operation Riverton” targeted related crimes.
*TAGS* – ritual killings targeting sex workers, brothel raids in Ogun State, international trafficking of Nigerian prostitutes
