PIX of some of the raided rooms
Front area view of Peace Garden Hotel, Calabar raided by the Police Tuesday
From: Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar
The Nigeria Police Force raided No 1 Old Odukpani Road a popular prostitution hub in Calabar and arrested 54 prostitutes alongside 56 men and pimps who patronise them.
The operation was led by Mr Jude Ngaji, the State Security Adviser to Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River State at the red light district within Peace Garden Hotel also called “Flower Mill” areaby residents.
Addressing newsmen after the raid which lasted for about four hours, Ngaji said that the hotel had evolved into a brothel for commercial sex workers and had also been used in the perpetration of criminal activities, drug deals as well as hide out for criminals in the state.
“Given the tourism status of Cross River, Gov. Ayade frowns on this despicable act where under aged girls are engaged in prostitution. He has therefore vowed to take drastic and decisive measures to stem the ugly trend. He has directed that the place be raided and shut down forthwith. Consequently, the governor has warned that other persons or groups involved in this unwholesome practice should in their own interest desist henceforth or face the wrath of the law,” he said.
According to him, the office of the State Security Adviser in collaboration with security agent in the state are working tirelessly to ensure that criminals and prostitute are shown the way out of the state.
“In collaboration with the office of the Area Command in Calabar, we used 11 trucks in conveying the girls and men to the Command. Each time you pass here at night, you find under-aged girls of about 13 and 14 years standing by and waiting for men. This place has become an area of concern to the state and Crossriverians. This place has become a Sodom and Gomorrah in Cross River and the raid was carried out to stop prostitution and criminality in the state. All the girls that were caught here are prostitutes and some of them were caught in a compromising position.
“There is no law that legalises prostitution in Nigeria. The girls will be tried in court and we will ensure that they are returned back to their respective states,” he said.
He also charged teenage girls to take their studies seriously and engage themselves in meaningful activities, rather than choosing the path of prostitution as a means of livelihood.
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