Photo: Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi-
The Bauchi State Government has announced that all commercial sex workers in the State would be profiled and repatriated back to their various states of origin and Local Government Areas.
The Permanent Commissioner II in charge of Hisbah, in the Shariah Commission, Bauchi State, Barr. Aminu Balarabe Isah, disclosed this at a pre-ramadan sensitization workshop held at Bayan Gari area, a suburb of the state metropolis.
According to him, the move would enable them get a more decent source of livelihood explaining that before their repatriation, their data would be taken through a headcount by the commission in the state.
He said that the repatriation would be done in collaboration with their various states and Local Government Areas.
“We are not here to arrest any of you rather, to help and repatriate you to your various LGAs and states of origin so that you came engage yourselves in a meaningful and decent life,” the Permanent Commissioner said.
Barr. Isah said that their data would be used to provide economic empowerment for them, adding that seed capitals would be provided to enable them become self reliant.
He stated that some of them who are indigenes of Bauchi state who get suitable spouses, Hisbah would help in marrying them off and provide them with all the necessary marital beddings, furniture, etc.
He said: “The recent interview conducted by his office on some of the commercial sex workers has made them to realize that some of them are into the indecent trade due to maltreatments from their stepmothers, poverty and illiteracy”.
“We also discovered that others were forced into the act by the activities of their co-wives,” he stated.
Speaking on behalf of other participants, Hafsatu Azare, who commended Hisbah for organizing the workshop which she termed as “educative and beneficial”, promised that if the government would help them with a better source of livelihood, they would quit these indecent living.
Azare stated that their lives are always endangered as a result of what they do which is immoral, ungodly and capable of exposing then to untold hardships and experiences, adding that their health is also being endangered.