FCTA’s clampdown on nightclubs, sex workers

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, recently displayed its determination to rid the nation’s capital of destitution and other environmental nuisance that have been posing serious threats to the Territory’s Master plan with the massive clampdown on the popular Caramelo night club in Wuse II District of the territory where strippers and other sex workers […]

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, recently displayed its determination to rid the nation’s capital of destitution and other environmental nuisance that have been posing serious threats to the Territory’s Master plan with the massive clampdown on the popular Caramelo night club in Wuse II District of the territory where strippers and other sex workers were arrested.

This clampdown was followed by raids of different clubs within the metropolis where more than 60 women were arrested for allegedly hanging around night clubs. Some of the arrests took place in various highbrow parts of the FCT like the Aminu Kano Crescent, Gwarimpa and Katampe Extension. It was carried out by the FCTA joint task team which comprised of the Departments of Development Control, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and the Social Development Secretariat (SDS), accompanied by the Nigerian Police.

In the case of the Caramelo night club which is located at Utako district of Abuja, the raid was said to have been in response to security reports and complaints from the residents of the. As a result of the unwholesome activities going on in the area due to the operation of the night club, the FCTA was inundated with several complaints by residents within the area, following which the FCTA deployed its officers to carry out surveillance in order to validate the complaints.

The outcome of the surveillance as was reliably gathered, revealed that the complaints were genuine and real and the substance of these complaints include, noise nuisance from loud party music, nude/strip dancing club activities and intractable traffic challenge, resulting from uncontrolled patronage to the commercial nightclub within the residential precinct.

It was also revealed that the plot on which the Caramelo night club was situated, was originally meant for the development of a health clinic and approval was granted in line with this plan. But unfortunately, the use of the building was changed to a commercial night club (Caramelo Night Club).

Consequently, officials were said to have repeatedly engaged the management of the club to stop their operation, which regrettably yielded no fruit, and the culmination of all these is the ultimate demolition of the building and arrest of the strippers and sex workers.

Following the clampdown and demolition of this building, however, the debate has been raging over the propriety or otherwise of these actions. Some activists are claiming that it violated the rights of those affected and that the building should not have been demolished.

But this is however far from the truth because the FCT as a planned city has rules and regulations governing all the activities that take place in the city and the club could not have been raided or demolished if it did not violate the laid down regulations for land use in the FCT.

Again, those criticizing the raid must not also forget that these clubs are located in residential areas and the FCT cannot afford to have prostitutes who dress very provocatively loitering around residential areas in the full glare of children.

Another criterion that led to the raiding of these areas, is the issue of illegal consumption and intake of hard drugs. Whoever that has been present at some of these areas would have noticed how these ladies smoke Indian hemp indiscriminately and abuse alcohol with reckless abandon. While at it, they attract people of the opposite sex to flock the area, making them vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation and violence.

Danladi Akilu, Abuja.