By Muhammadu Sabiu
Four brothels along Azikiwe Street, Mile 2 Diobu in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State have been ordered to be sealed down by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.
After the federal government sued Cool Breeze Hotel and Royale Hotel, who were named as defendants, the court issued the order.
In order to execute the court order, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons was in Azikiwe Street on Friday with assistance from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and court representatives.
Before the brothels were sealed off, their residents were evicted.
While granting an ex parte application from NAPTIP, the court also ordered that the brothels stay closed for 30 days while NAPTIP’s investigation is still ongoing.
The case was postponed until December 5, 2022, to allow for the investigative report.
On October 29, 2022, a team from the Nigerian Navy, NSCDC, and NAPTIP raided the Cool Breeze and Royale brothels. During the raid, some girls were rescued, including young girls who had been “forced” into prostitution. Suspected traffickers were also detained.
Nwamaka Ikediashi, the NAPTIP Commander in Rivers State, promised that after the investigation was finished, the accused would be brought before a judge.