Posted by By UBONG UKPONG, Abuja on
A camp for prostitutes, which also serves as a hideout for armed robbers and drug peddlers, where all forms of crimes are also committed and can at best be described as devil's camp, exists at Mararaba, Nassarawa State.
A camp for prostitutes, which also serves as a hideout for armed robbers and drug peddlers, where all forms of crimes are also committed and can at best be described as devil's camp, exists at Mararaba, Nassarawa State.
The camp which is located at the boundary between the state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), houses over 400 ladies from different tribes in the country, for the sole purpose of commercial sex.
When Daily Sun visited the camp, it was discovered that in what looks like a mini national summit on national unity, a good number of female sex workers live in sections according to their regions and tribes, while carrying out all forms of sexual and criminal activities.
Notable tribes represented include the Yoruba for the South-west, Igbo for the South-East and the Hausa for the North. There are also a mix of tribes from Cross River, Edo and Akwa Ibom states standing in for the Niger Delta.
Meanwhile, the Idoma and Tiv from Benue State, represent the middle Belt, with the Tiv having the highest number of representatives in the camp followed by Idoma, Igbo and Cross River.
While at the camp, Daily Sun in disguise as a customer, spent time out with a young lady, who identified herself as Tina (surnames withheld), from Ugep, Cross River State, who spoke on what transpires daily at the sex camp.
The 27 year-old Tina confessed that she abandoned her family and tailoring trade to follow her friend to Abuja, in search of a greener pasture. But on arrival, she was introduced into prostitution as a quick and easier money- making venture in the nation's capital. Disclosing that she had been in the camp for over a year now, she said she would like to quit in the new year.
She disclosed further that before she moved into the camp for full time prostitution, she was living with a man who intended to marry her, while doing prostitution on part- time basis.
"While with him, I used to go out for this business and go back to the house. He knew that this was what I was doing but did not bother, since we were benefiting from it and were at peace with each other. My parents know him and knew that we were going to get married. Apart him and I that know about what I am doing, none of my people, even my parents know about it. I decided not to marry him again after he stole my N56,000.00 and denied taking it.
Because of this, I left his house and found this place, and decided to live here to do it full time and make my money, instead of wasting my time with any man. He later brought N46,000.00 and begged me to come back. I collected my money but I cannot go back to him", Tina stated.
The experience of another sex worker, who identified herself as Chinyere (surnames also withheld), from Mbano, Imo State, is not too different from that of her colleague, Tina, unless that she claimed to have a residence in town apart from her room in the camp, and does her own on part time.
Chinyere, 30, claimed that she is a single mother with a baby boy, which she has taken to the village under the custody of her mother. She said she got the baby by a 'boy-friend', who denied the pregnancy and abandoned her. This, according to her, led her into prostitution, to be able to cater for herself and the baby. Before sending the baby to her mother to avail her more time to concentrate, Chinyere said she used to keep him with a house help, while she notified them that she was going to work, only to come out to pose in her room at the camp and leaves later at night. However, she visits the house at intervals to attend to the baby.
Presently, she disclosed that she spends more time at the camp, even sleeping over whenever she has an offer to lodge a man for all night assignment. But at month endings, she said, she makes sure she sends enough money to her mother for their upkeep and that of her baby. In all these, Chinyere claimed no neighbour knows or suspects her dirty activities.
Although Tina and Chinyere claim to be Christians, they said most ladies at the camp, including themselves, have no business going to church, stressing that it will be ridiculous to do so, only to come back to the same sex camp, where evil is enthroned. They averred that they all know that what they are doing is sinful, but are hardened by their poverty situation to remain unrepentant.
A close observation of the strategies employed by these prostitutes to entice men, is an outright abuse of the pride of the woman as most of these ladies move about in the camp and adjoining streets half nude; revealing several parts of their bodies that ought to have been protected from sight.
All these they do in attempt to entice men into having sex with them. On the other hand, they harass any man they see around the place sexually. In most cases, what you would hear them saying outrightly is: "daddy come now! I am your colour. I will do you fine, I will satisfy you. I will give you dog style, I will give you from the back, I will suck. . .", amongst other sensational words that are capable of pulling down even a saint.
Daily Sun's investigation further revealed that different kinds of prostitution services and sex styles are rendered at the camp. They equally attract different charges. Although the minimum charge for a man to have a date with any of the ladies is N200.00, it is however merely for a few minutes, which in most cases, may not guarantee maximum pleasure. And if you were unlucky to meet a notorious girl, you might end up losing the money without going into her, if you had engaged her on a romance shortly, before demanding to 'do it'. This is however in the category of "short time" services. A customer who is able to also pay above the stipulated minimum price, is equally guaranteed more satisfaction than the amount.
The other service is what they termed "all night", whereby anyone who is interested in lodging with the lady in her room at the camp through out the night, is free to do so, if he settles her with the minimum fee of N1,500.00. On the other hand, any man who wishes to move the girl out of the camp to his house or hotel room pays higher, but not less than N2,000.00. It was however learnt that most of the ladies prefer the former arrangement due to the risks involved in the latter.
Talking about risks, Daily Sun gathered that there had been times when some of the ladies went for 'all night' out side the camp but never returned up till date. Their whereabouts could also not be traced, as their rooms remained locked for a very long time before the managers of the camp forced them open. Fees charged are also dependent on the ages of the ladies, which range from the teens to 40 years respectively. While the older ones are more understanding and tolerant in all aspects, the younger groups appear to be violent and restless.