The Nigerian Army has raided and shut down brothels in a poverty-stricken area of Maiduguri that were selling sex with underage girls to adult men.

The military took the decision to close the brothels following an exclusive investigative report by the Daily Trust newspaper that was published on Saturday, April 8. The article exposed illegal sexual activities involving very young girls that had been ongoing for some time.

The military raided and shut down the brothels in Kasuwan Fara, Shagari – an impoverished area of Maiduguri, Borno State’s capital city – on Thursday, April 13.

Most of the underage girls were doing sex work to get food. They came from poor backgrounds and sex was their only mean of making money and getting food in their bellies.

Angry parents and human rights activists told RNI that the military’s decision should be commended and measures to protect underage children, especially girls, should be implemented immediately.

Hajjja Imam Kyari, a mother, said: “It was a very good decision to shut down the brothels. These places promote prostitution and fornication and jeopardise our children’s moral behaviour and their futures. Destitute young girls are especially vulnerable.

“I believe it is the responsibility of parents – especially the father, who should play a greater role in bringing up a child in line with our traditions, customs, norms and values. A father also needs to support the mother to ensure that the children are well protected from such immorality.

“It appears that most of these underage girls became sex workers to get money for food. Some, though, turned to prostitution because their parents had been negligent about teaching them moral behaviour.

“It is inappropriate for an adult man to sleep with 13- to 16-year-old girls. My advice to girls is to not speak to unknown adult men at schools, on streets or anywhere in public. That is the only way they can protect themselves against rape and other sexual abuse and harassment.”

Lucy Yunana, a human rights activist, told RNI that girls as young as 13 were being used as prostitutes, accusing parents, traditional rulers, the government and society in general of being negligent.

“We see many cases of rape in our courts and most of the victims are underage girls. We will continue trying to get justice for the victims and to get the perpetrators punished. We have been more successful lately because we have support from the police, legal practitioners and the Borno State Ministry of Justice.

“I am calling on the government to set up a committee to find the underage girls who were the victims of sex for food at the brothels that were shut down so that we can rehabilitate and empower them to become self-reliant.

“The state government should punish the men engaged in such acts, as well as the parents of these underage girls for their negligence and the poor upbringing of their children, which goes against Nigeria’s Child Rights Act.”

Yunana said it was the responsibility of the government, traditional rulers, community and religious leaders and parents to protect children from a life of prostitution.

“It is imperative for society in general to uphold the teachings of our religions, whether Islam or Christian. Children should be taught to adhere to the norms, values, customs and traditions of our people.”

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO