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The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed March 12, 2025, for its ruling on a lawsuit challenging the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) over the arrest and prosecution of individuals suspected of engaging in commercial sex work.
The case, filed on May 14, 2024, by the Incorporated Trustee of Lawyers Alert Initiative for Protecting the Rights of Children, Women, and the Indigent, names the AEPB, FCT Minister, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as defendants.
Justice James Omotosho set the judgment date after listening to submissions from both parties.
The plaintiffs, represented by Rommy Mom, Bamidele Jacobs, and Victor Eboh, asked the court to clarify two key issues:
Whether the AEPB’s authority under Section 6 of the AEPB Act, 1997, includes the arrest and prosecution of women accused of engaging in sex work.
Whether Section 35(1)(d) of the AEPB Act, 1997, allows women’s bodies to be treated as “articles” or “goods for purchase.”
They argued that the AEPB’s actions, including prosecuting suspected sex workers in FCT Mobile Courts and referring to them as “articles,” are discriminatory and violate Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution, which prohibits discrimination.
The plaintiffs also sought a declaration that the AEPB’s mandate does not include the harassment, arrest, or raid of individuals suspected of sex work.
Justice Omotosho’s verdict could set a significant legal precedent regarding the rights of individuals suspected of engaging in sex work and the limits of the AEPB’s authority.