Abuja sex workers lose case seeking to legalise prostitution

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, declined to legalise prostitution in the country, even as it dismissed a suit that sought to enforce fundamental rights of commercial sex workers in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho, while describing prostitution as an immoral act that is alien to cultural values of all the ethnic groups in the country, said it found no reason to stop the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and security agencies, from arresting those that engage in such illicit business.

According to the court, prostitutes have no legal rights to enjoy under any known law or the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

The judgement followed a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/642/2024, which the sex workers filed to bar the FCT Minister and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, from harassing, intimidating, arresting and prosecuting them.

Aside from Wike and the AEPB, other respondents in the legal action that was initiated on behalf of Abuja-based prostitutes, by a Non Governmental Organisation under the aegis of Lawyers Alert Initiative for Protection of Rights of Children, Women and Indigent, were the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, andAttorney-General of the Federation, AGF.

The applicants had through their team of lawyers led by Mr. Rommy Mom, prayed the court to enforce their right to prostitution, in line with all the fundamental human rights that inure to them from the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Specifically, they urged the court to determine whether the duties of the AEPB under Section 6 of the AEPB Act, 1997, extends to the harassment, arrest, detention and prosecution of women suspected of engaging in sex work on the streets of Abuja.
As well as, whether by the provision of Section 35 (1) (d) of the AEPB Act, 1997, women can be regarded as articles or their bodies regarded as goods for purchase.

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Upon the determination of the questions, the applicants sought a declaration that a charge the AEPB entered before the FCT Mobile Court, which referred to arrested women suspected of engaging in sex work as “articles” and considered their bodies as “goods for purchase,” was discriminatory and a violation of Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution.

They sought a declaration that the duties of the board does not extend to the harassment, arrest and raid of women suspected of engaging in sex work on the streets of Abuja.

Portable: Monarch frowns on ‘King of Street’ chieftaincy title, demands revocation

Controversial singer Habeeb Olalomi Okikiola, popularly known as ‘Portable’, is in the eye of a storm again. This time, it is about the conferment of “King of Street” chieftaincy title on him by the Olu of Itori, Oba Abdulfatai Akamo.

Another monarch, Eselu of Iselu Kingdom in the Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, has expressed disappointment about the title and demanded its reversal.

He described the action as an abuse of the institution of traditional rulers.

Oba Akinyemi, in an open letter he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, said the title as bestowed on ‘Portable’ was strange to all palaces in Yorubaland, and must be reversed to avoid chaos.

The traditional ruler said his colleague Oba should not have generalised the title, but ought to have limited it to his jurisdiction by naming the title “King of Itori Street”.

He called the attention of Chairman of Ogun State Council of Obas and Chiefs, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland to the untraditional and illegal installation done by Olu Itori.

He added that the decision by Oba Akamo to confer the chieftaincy title on Portable was not well thought out, at a period the singer was being tried before an Ogun State High Court over alleged assault on some government officials.

The open letter read in paer, “The title “King of Street” which Olu Itori gave the controversial musician at His Majesty’s 21st Coronation Anniversary is absolutely unknown in all palaces of Yoruba Land, so given such a title to honour any personality is not only illegal, but a call for chaos if not reversed.

“Using the title “King of Street” can be interpreted as the King of all Streets in the State. This is unacceptable. Olu Itori ought to have limited the title to his domain. Kabiyesi ought to have titled it “King of Itori Street” and the musician would know that his title is only confined to Itori Kingdom.

“All streets in Ogun State have their Kings and they know how they choose them, so this generalization of the title Street should be reversed to prevent any problems in the State and beyond”.

“Apart from the wrong title given to Portable, His Royal Majesty’s decision to install the musician as a Chief was not well thought out because of the unruly and questionable behaviour of the singer who is currently facing a trial in a competent court in Ogun State.

“Giving him a chieftaincy title is like encouraging him to wreak more havoc. An effort that will make the musician live a better life is what is necessary.

“In fact, the unruly self-made kings in the fuji industry have caused lots of divisions among themselves which is entirely different from the love and good legacy the pioneers left behind. Portable is one of the self-made kings who need to refine their lives.”