Niger moves to ban activities of commercial sex workers

 The Niger State Government is to ban activities of commercial sex workers in Minna as part of efforts in tackling insecurity.

Hajiya Kaltum Rufa'i, Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry for Women Affairs and Social Development said this in an interview in Minna.

Rufa'i said that government was not aware of such unwholesome activity which is capable of fuelling the current security challenges in the state.

She said there are state laws against such activity, saying the government would investigate it with a view to stopping the ugly trend.

"Now that you have brought the issue to our notice, government will swing into action.

"I will personally go and meet the Secretary to the State Government to discuss the issue and find solutions to it," she said.

The investigations within Minna, revealed that the women and girls start their business from 7p.m.to midnight daily.

Their best spots to attract clients in Minna include the City gate round-about, the Eastern by-pass a d the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega filling station, Minna.

The women normally handout in groups of two, three, four, five and above, waiting for their clients.

Some of them who spoke to the correspondent and did not want their names mentioned, said they normally charge from N1,000 to N10,000, depending on the kind of service required.

"Our clients pay for hotel accommodations from N1,000 to N3,000 for shot time and from N5,000 to N8,000 for all-night service," one of them explained.

Some of the sex workers said they ventured into the trade out of frustration or lack of jobs.

One of them said, "I have to use what I have to help myself."