COVID-19: Sex Workers Not Essential Service Providers, FCT Warns

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has warned sex workers and operators of nightclubs and bars across the city not to operate until the COVID-19 restriction is lifted.

The Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Enforcement Task team on COVID-19 Restrictions, Mr Ikharo Attah gave the warning when the team went round Kubwa, Gwarinpa and Wuse to monitor the level of compliance by operators.

Addressing journalists after the operation, Attah noted that, “the ban on nightclubs, parks and bars is yet to be lifted hence the need for us to sustain routine inspection and ensure compliance.

We believe that if we relax too much, with the number of positive Covid-19 cases on the rise it would not be good for the city.”

Attah who expressed satisfaction with the high level of compliance by the nightclub operators was however not happy with the high number of suspected commercial sex workers around buildings housing the nightclubs at Kubwa.

He pointed out that, “the presence of the ladies of the night is a violation of the curfew because they are not on the exemption list of essential workers. Their presence made us to carry out full checks on some nightclubs which are truly closed. At moments like this we expect them to stop the unholy trade in their own interest because the men who may patronize them may be Covid-19 positive.”

Speaking on the shutting down of a bar at Wuse 2, the chairman said, “we got several calls that Reset Nightclub and Bar located at Lobito Crescent in Wuse 2 was fully operational. But when we got there we discovered that it wasn’t true. A bar operating in a plaza located opposite the nightclub, as we all found out this night, was the one operating and playing very loud music which necessitated the calls and complaints we got from residents of the area.”

The team shut down the bar and confiscated some of its loudspeakers which were handed over to Enforcement officials from the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB.

The chairman further explained that the team would be extending its checks on nightclubs in the suburbs while appealing to FCT residents to stay at home during the curfew periods and not endanger their lives.