Ebonyi seals Abakaliki guest house, arrests over 30 suspected sex workers
- Ebonyi officials arrested more than 30 suspected commercial sex workers during a raid on an unapproved guest house in Abakaliki.
- The team said it found substances suspected to be hard drugs, including 'Colos' and Indian hemp, at the premises.
- The guest house has been sealed indefinitely and the owner has been asked to report to the ministry.
More than 30 people suspected of working as commercial sex workers have been arrested in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, after a joint enforcement operation on a guest house the government says was never approved.
The operation was carried out on Tuesday by the Ministry of Capital City and Urban Planning and the Ministry of Internal Security, working with security operatives and the ministry's task force.
The Commissioner for Capital City and Urban Planning, Richard Ugo Idike, and the Commissioner for Internal Security, Prince Etta Uka Ude, led the team.
Drugs found, building sealed
According to the commissioners, officers found substances suspected to be hard drugs at the premises, including wrappers said to contain a local substance known as 'Colos' and Indian hemp. Security operatives took charge of the items.
Idike said the presence of people said to have come from different states into an unapproved building raised concerns about security and public safety in the area.
The guest house has been sealed indefinitely. The commissioner directed the owner to come to the ministry to explain how the building was being used and to sort out the outstanding issues. As of the time the reports were filed, the owner had not been arrested.
The arrested suspects were handed over to the police for further investigation.
What happens next
The police are expected to continue questioning the suspects. The guest house will stay shut until its owner meets the ministry's requirements.
Idike used the inspection to remind property developers and building owners to get approval from the Ministry of Capital City and Urban Planning before starting construction. He said the government would not allow unapproved buildings to be used in ways that threaten public safety.
Ude said the state's priority is the security of residents, adding that under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru's administration no premises would be allowed to become a hideout for criminals. He urged security agencies to step up monitoring of business premises in Abakaliki and called for cooperation between government, security operatives and the public.
For residents, the operation is a reminder that the state is tightening checks on how buildings in the capital are used. Business owners who operate without approval risk having their premises sealed.
