 Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) from arresting and prosecuting commercial sex workers in the nation’s capital.){kind=link}
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) from arresting and prosecuting commercial sex workers in the nation’s capital.
Justice James Omotosho, in his ruling on Wednesday, declared the suit incompetent under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009.
He further stated that even if the application had been valid, the reliefs sought were not legally enforceable, leading to its dismissal for lack of merit.
The case was brought forward by the Incorporated Trustee of Lawyers Alert Initiative for Protecting the Rights of Children, Women, and the Indigent, challenging the actions of the AEPB, the FCT Minister, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, and the Attorney General of the Federation, who were listed as respondents.
Filed on May 14, 2024, the suit sought clarification on whether the AEPB had the legal authority under Section 6 of the AEPB Act, 1997, to arrest, detain, and prosecute women suspected of engaging in sex work.
The group also questioned the language used in charges brought before the FCT Mobile Court, arguing that referring to arrested women as “articles” or “goods for purchase” was discriminatory and violated Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution.
The applicants requested a court order preventing AEPB and its agents from harassing or arresting women suspected of sex work in Abuja.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho dismissed these claims, stating that prostitution has never been part of Nigerian culture and remains a deeply frowned-upon practice.