The Federal High Court in Calabar has ordered the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to seal two brothels allegedly used for prostitution and child trafficking in Calabar
The court order, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria by officials from NAPTIP on Thursday in Calabar, said the brothels are Onwuka Hotel and Suites and De Papes Corner Hotel both in Calabar.
In suit numbers FHC/CA/MISC/62/2019 and FHC/CA/MISC/63/2019, between the complainant, Federal Republic of Nigeria and defendants Okon John-Nsi, Onwuka hotel and Edem John-Nsi, De Papes Corner hotel, the court ordered an interim seal of the brothels.
NAN had reported that on May 9 2019, operatives of the Department of State Service in Calabar arrested 59 commercial sex workers in the two brothels which were also allegedly been used for child trafficking.
The sex workers, who were mostly underage and the owners of the brothels that were also arrested, were later handed over to NAPTIP by the DSS for prosecution.
The case was filed by the complainant on May 17 2019 and sworn to by Mr Oba Jacob, an official from NAPTIP.
NAPTIP in their motion ex-parte, prayed the court to order the interim seal of the brothels pending the outcome of the criminal investigation against the defendants.
The presiding Judge, Justice S. A. Amobeda, granted the complainant prayer that the brothels be sealed up pending the determination of criminal investigation against the defendants.
“In support to the motion paper sworn to by one Mr Oba Jacob of NAPTIP, filed in Court Registry on the 17th day of May, 2019, and the court granted the application.
“An interim order is hereby granted attaching Onwuka Hotel and Suites and De Papes Corner Hotel pending the determination of criminal investigation against the defendants.