A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to stop the arrest and prosecution of commercial sex workers in Abuja.
Justice James Omotosho ruled that the application was incompetent and that the reliefs sought were not grantable.
The suit was filed by Lawyers Alert Initiative, a non-governmental organization, on behalf of commercial sex workers. The group argued that the arrest and prosecution of commercial sex workers by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) was discriminatory and violated their fundamental human rights.
However, the judge held that prostitution is an offense under the Penal Code Act and that the AEPB has the right to arrest and prosecute those engaging in it.
Justice Omotosho also stated that the court cannot enforce a right to engage in prostitution, citing cultural and moral norms in Nigeria.
The judge’s decision was based on the provisions of the Penal Code Act, which classifies prostitution as an offense, as well as the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, which emphasizes the importance of cultural relativism in the context of human rights.
The dismissal of the suit has significant implications for the ongoing debate about prostitution and human rights in Nigeria
