₦airaland Forum

Owerri, Imo State — Concerned residents of Imo State have formally written to Bola Tinubu (President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria), the Inspector‑General of Police (IGP) and the federal government, complaining of what they describe as an escalating proliferation of brothels, prostitution and “hook‑up” activities across the state. The letter, which according to sources was signed by a coalition of women’s groups, community leaders and youth associations, warns that the mushrooming of such establishments and accompanying “immoral behaviours” are undermining public morality, public health and the safety of young people in the state.


The letter states that many neighbourhoods in the 27 local government areas of Imo State now house un‑registered “hook‑up” houses and brothels, often operating at night, which they say have resulted in increased cases of sexual exploitation, child trafficking and social disorder.

They point out that the phenomenon is being fuelled by economic hardship, high youth unemployment, transactional sex, and inadequate regulatory oversight of premises used for this purpose.

The residents call on the President and IGP to direct the security agencies (especially the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons — NAPTIP, the Nigeria Police Force and task forces in the state) to carry out sting operations, shut down illegally‑operating brothels and prosecute owners, managers and facilitators.

Further, they request that the Imo State government strengthen local laws and enforcement mechanisms, undertake public awareness campaigns (especially among youth), and provide rehabilitation or alternative livelihood programmes for vulnerable women and girls.


The residents’ letter cites the following legal provisions:

Federal law

Under the Criminal Code Act (Cap. 77) (applicable in southern states including Imo), Sections 223–225 criminalise procuration (recruitment), the running of brothels, and living off the earnings of prostitution. Section 222B specifically provides that a person who allows a child under sixteen to reside in or frequent a brothel is liable to prosecution.

The Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 prohibits trafficking of persons (including women and children) for sexual exploitation and commercial sex.

A recent Federal High Court decision held that commercial sex workers have no legal right to operate without prosecution, and that prostitution (in the sense of commercial sex work) may fall within offences under the Penal Code Act in jurisdictions where that applies.


While no distinct separate Imo‑State law was cited in the letter (and none appears in publicly accessible sources), academic research indicates that in Imo State (and particularly in its capital — Owerri) the townscape has been impacted by sex‐work and brothels, and scholars have called for regulatory attention. One news piece noted that the state chapter of the National Association of Brothel Owners had attempted to self‑regulate brothel operations in 2017.


The residents of imo state wants Direct intervention by the federal authorities (President Tinubu’s office and the Inspector‑General of Police) to declare prostitution‑facilitating brothels a priority national issue.

Deployment of joint task‑forces with NAPTIP, Police, NSCDC and state agencies to raid suspected brothels, enforce age‑verification, verify premises registration, and arrest or prosecute owners and pimps.

Imo State government to review/strengthen its laws and regulatory frameworks on brothel operation, land‑use planning, licensing of lodging houses, curbing under‑age and trafficking‑related prostitution.

Public policy to provide alternative livelihood programmes for women and girls vulnerable to prostitution, youth employment schemes to reduce demand, and community sensitisation drives aimed at reducing “hook‑up culture” and transactions for sex.

Data collection and monitoring of premises linked to prostitution, trafficking or exploitation in the state, with publication of periodic reports.


The residents warn that unless decisive action is taken, the proliferation of such activities will lead to:

Increased trafficking of minors and vulnerable women into prostitution and brothels in Imo State.

Growth of organised sex‑networks, which may overlap with other crimes (drug‑trafficking, human trafficking, violence).

Deterioration of public morality and greater health risks (including HIV/AIDS transmission, sexually transmitted infections).

Reputational risk for Imo State as a destination for illicit sex‑trade, which could hamper investment, tourism or local development.



So far, there is no publicly reported official statement from the President or the Inspector‑General of Police specifically addressing this letter from Imo State residents. Historically, the Imo State government had been alerted about the brothel issue: for example, in 2024 local media reported Imo residents rallying to demand the destruction of brothels.


The federal government should respond promptly setting up an inter‑agency committee, led by NAPTIP and the Nigeria Police, to assess the brothel proliferation in Imo State and nationwide.

The Imo State government should commission a rapid‑action survey of brothels and “hook‑up houses” in the state, link with local governments for enforcement, and publish a closure list.

Civil society actors in Imo should monitor and publicly report on the enforcement actions, ensuring that arrests and closures are legal, fair and respect human rights (especially noting the grey‐area of independent adult sex work).

Youth empowerment and social welfare interventions must run in parallel—enforcement alone will not solve root causes of prostitution and brothel growth.




This development underscores the tensions between growing social challenges in states like Imo and the need for coherent legal‑enforcement responses. By invoking relevant federal laws (Criminal Code Act Sections 223‑225; Trafficking in Persons Act) and noting local concerns, the residents’ letter pushes for action at both state and federal level.

They should teach their children how to Hustle legitimately and stay contended. Prostitution is the easier business amidst poverty.

Baby factory businesses at the end of the day. That's is what obidients usually call development

Pathetically alarming to read this.

This is terribly bad and unacceptable. The lost of morality should never be the answer to worsening or biting hardship.

This should be a source of worry to the government of the day as the proliferation of prostitution business has been as old as the history of humanity.

Who wrote this stupid and lengthy article. What is tinubu business with brothel

Wetin con concern Tinubu?

ObiORBiafra:
They should teach their children how to Hustle legitimately and stay contended. Prostitution is the easier business amidst poverty.

fake news from no source

Very funny...this one na since na. Imo na Hq for Hook up

Na their work normally, it's so bad from teenagers to old women. It's only hotels you will notice in Owerri 🤷🏿

Hoeing is no business.

Ladies, you can do better.

nedu666:
Who wrote this stupid and lengthy article. What is tinubu business with brothel

Stop talking without thinking.
Tinubu is the president of Nigeria and have the power to call security operatives to order if they are not doing their jobs. Brothels are increasing everyday in imo state and security operatives are not doing anything about it, because if the security operatives are raiding brothels, there will not be any brothels in imo state and in Nigeria; prostitution and brothels are criminalize by the Nigeria constitution.
So when the commissioner of police and governor refuse to act then the residents of imo state can call upon the chief security officer of the nation who is the president of Nigeria, tinubu.
Let's focus on the topic.

WizardOfNG:
@Topic.

Nigerians, SE folks in particular, have gone mad. What does this have to do with Tinubu when there are so many levels of locally mandated leaders to call upon for assistance before anyone thinks of mentioning Mr.President?

This is why the President gets blamed wrongly for so much by a lot of Nigerians, functional illiterates in reality, who want to call Tinubu directly if a burglar breaks into their home rather than their Divisional Police Officer.

Stop talking without thinking and do not bring tribalism into this thread because brothels are many in Lagos state than in imo state and other states in Nigeria.
Tinubu is the president of Nigeria and have the power to call security operatives to order if they are not doing their jobs. Brothels are increasing everyday in imo state and security operatives are not doing anything about it, because if the security operatives are raiding brothels, there will not be any brothels in imo state and in Nigeria; prostitution and brothels are criminalize by the Nigeria constitution.
So when the commissioner of police and governor refuse to act then the residents of imo state can call upon the chief security officer of the nation who is the president of Nigeria, tinubu.
Let's focus on the topic.

1nice:
Stop talking without thinking.
Tinubu is the president of Nigeria and have the power to call security operatives to order if they are not doing their jobs. Brothels are increasing everyday in imo state and security operatives are not doing anything about it, because if the security operatives are raiding brothels, there will not be any brothels in imo state and in Nigeria; prostitution and brothels are criminalize by the Nigeria constitution.
So when the commissioner of police and governor refuse to act then the residents of imo state can call upon the chief security officer of the nation who is the president of Nigeria[b][/b], tinubu.
Let's focus on the topic.

This is asinine reasoning.
You have your local government and State Government and also the CP directly responsible for the safety of the state.
It would be very stupid to start calling the President's name for issues directly under the purview of the State.
Doing this clearly means there's no faith or hope in the Governor. Rather than holding the governor responsible (who also collects security votes) you're shifting the buck to the President.
Continue.. Tinubu will come from Abuja to close hotels in Imo

HenryWilliams:
This is asinine reasoning.
You have your local government and State Government and also the CP directly responsible for the safety of the state.
It would be very stupid to start calling the President's name for issues directly under the purview of the State.
Doing this clearly means there's no faith or hope in the Governor. Rather than holding the governor responsible (who also collects security votes) you're shifting the buck to the President.
Continue.. Tinubu will come from Abuja to close hotels in Imo

The imo state residents have concluded on involving the president of Nigeria because for long the complain have been going to the commissioner of police and governor but still nothing is been done instead brothels are increasing everyday and some imo residents will even take laws into their hands must times by closing down the brothels themselves.
You think about it......