THINGS are no longer the same at a
Lagos brothel popularly called Odinwo (Yoruba word for reduced service
charge) since The Nation published a story on the mode of operation of
the prostitutes in the brothel on July 27. Insiders at the brothel
located a short distance from Sawmill Bus-stop at Ifako, Gbagada,
confirmed that much to our correspondent.
Before The Nation published the story
headlined ‘Revealed: Lagos slave camp where underage girls are recruited
into prostitution’, the brothel was notorious for a racket organised by
a prostitution ring similar to what obtains in Italy.
It was gathered that the July 27 story
rattled not only the operators of the brothel but other similar
businesses in Gbagada, Oworonsoki and Bariga areas of Lagos. An inside
source at Odinwo said the girls started moving out in droves as soon as
they read the story.
Our report on the brothel had indicated
that teenage girls were being lured into the prostitution ring with
promises of a better future. Upon recruitment, the girls were placed
under the tutelage of older and more experienced prostitutes called
aunties, for a period ranging from six months to about two years. Within
that period, the young girl is made to sleep with men and surrender
their earnings to the aunty.
However, The Nation can authoritatively
report that the managers of the brothel and several others in the Bariga
and Oworonsoki areas have taken steps to rid them of underage
prostitutes. According to a source, the brothels hurriedly ferried all
the young girls into unknown places the morning the report hit the
newsstand. By the evening of that day, all the girls were said to have
been gathered somewhere and given money to transport themselves back to
their respective homes.
“On the day the report was published,
the proprietors of the brothel, fearing that the police could storm the
place, took all the girls to a hideout to pass the night. The following
morning, which was a Sunday, they gathered all the girls and gave them
money to go back to their homes,” the source said.
The source also disclosed that one of
the proprietors, while lamenting his loss, said about 28 young girls had
to leave the brothel, leaving him with only mature prostitutes. “It was
a serious thing. The man was driven to tears. He said about 28 girls
had to leave his brothel, leaving him to make do with the meager income
from older prostitutes.”
Describing what led to the crisis as
pure greed, the source said it was believed that one of the underage
prostitutes must have invited the media after her aunty extended her
period of service beyond the initial six months agreed on.
He said: “The girl was supposed to spend
six months to serve the aunty. But after completing the six months, the
aunty said she was not impressed with her performance and extended the
service period. The girl, the proprietor said, later took her story to
the media.”
When our correspondent visited the area
shortly after the young girls were expelled, one of the girls, while
lamenting her condition, said she was feeling sick because of what had
happened. Asked what the ailment was, she looked up, gave a sheepish
smile and said: “You don’t know that if one suddenly stops doing what
one has been doing for a long time, the person may fall sick?”
She, however, said she was tired of
prostitution, saying she was ready to quit if she got a job. “Please
help me to get a job. I am tired of this job. I will appreciate anything
you can get for me,” she said.
At the brothel, our correspondent
observed that the activities of the prostitutes were restricted to
inside the walls. And unlike in the past, when the prostitutes,
provocatively dressed, canvassed for clients outside the brothels, they
had limited their operations to the inside.
They were also said to have been seriously warned by the proprietors to avoid troubles and maintain peace in the brothels.
It was also observed that the
prostitutes now play the dumb game. Rather than engage their men in
banter that may give away anything on the crisis, they keep mum,
preferring to maintain a ‘strictly business’ relationship.
“That has been their attitude since the
story was published. They no longer walk round or mix with strangers
like they used to do. Now, they simply remain silent without giving
anything away”, the source said.
Proprietors of brothels populated by
prostitutes in the Gbagada, Oworonsoki and Bariga areas are said to have
quickly swung into action to ensure that the underage girls don’t
return to the brothels. Stung by the report, the proprietors were said
to have come up with a code of conduct for the all the prostitutes in
the areas. The prostitutes are made to fill a form specifying their true
age, name and state of origin. They are also made to swear an oath not
to bring any underage girl into the brothels.
The source said: “The proprietors gave
the prostitutes a form to fill. In it, they are asked to fill their
names, age and state of origin. I think the people are very serious this
time around. That story really disrupted the operations of the cartel
in this area.”
Meanwhile, a police team from the
Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) was said to have visited the brothel
to ascertain the veracity of the story. The proprietors of two brothels
in the area were said to have been invited and handed a stern warning to
stop the practice.
The source, who witnessed the police
invitation, said the proprietors have vowed to ensure that underage
prostitutes don’t operate in their brothels.
“They are very worried. As I speak with
you, they are doing everything possible to make sure that the activities
of the young girls don’t affect their business,” the source added.
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