The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a case seeking to legalize prostitution in Nigeria, rejecting the argument that sex work should be recognized as a fundamental right.
Justice James Omotosho, who gave the ruling on Wednesday, stated that prostitution remains illegal in Nigeria and is contrary to the country’s cultural values.
The case was filed by a group of Abuja-based commercial sex workers, supported by the Lawyers Alert Initiative for Protection of Rights of Children, Women, and Indigent. They asked the court to stop the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) from arresting and prosecuting them.
The applicants claimed their right to engage in sex work was protected under the 1999 Constitution, as amended. They also accused the AEPB of discrimination, highlighting that women arrested for suspected sex work were referred to as “goods for purchase” in court documents.
However, Justice Omotosho dismissed the case, ruling that prostitution is a criminal offense under Nigerian law.
“There is absolutely no justification for prostitution in Nigeria in the context of our cultural norms and traditions,” the judge said. “Legalizing prostitution would undermine the moral fabric of the society.”
He emphasized that, unlike some Western countries where prostitution is legal, Nigeria has the right to uphold its own cultural and moral standards.
“The fact that certain acts are accepted elsewhere does not mean they should be imposed on us,” he added.
The court concluded that the reliefs sought by the sex workers were not valid under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009.
Following the ruling, the AEPB and other security agencies have the legal backing to continue their crackdown on prostitution in the Federal Capital Territory.
