Enugu Authorities Rescue 114 Girls in Crackdown on Child Prostitution
Story: written by Myra March 18,2026
Enugu State has intensified efforts against child exploitation, rescuing 114 teenage girls from hotels as part of a crackdown on child prostitution. The operation was led by the Enugu State Gender-Based Violence Taskforce in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force.
Ikechukwu Nwaogu, Executive Director of the Economic and Social Empowerment of Rural Communities, revealed that the joint operation targeted three hotels in the state where minors were allegedly involved in prostitution. Speaking during a press briefing marking International Women’s Day 2026, Nwaogu warned that the absence of a functional rehabilitation centre in the South-East worsens the vulnerability of rescued girls, many of whom may return to exploitative conditions.
He highlighted the long-abandoned Borstal Training Institute in Ngwo, built in 1932, as a critical gap in the region’s juvenile justice system. While other Borstal institutions in Ilorin, Kaduna, and Abeokuta remain operational, Ngwo has fallen into disrepair since the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970. Nwaogu urged the state and federal governments to rehabilitate the facility to provide formal education, vocational training, and psychosocial support to young offenders.
The taskforce, established in December 2025 with support from the French Embassy Fund, has also made progress addressing domestic and sexual violence. Data from the briefing showed that 1,086 cases of gender-based violence were reported in just over three months, with an average of 20 new cases daily.
So far, 218 arrests have been made, with 32 cases in court and 18 suspects remanded at the Enugu State Correctional Centre. Beyond prosecution, the taskforce has provided pro bono legal services and facilitated medical treatment for 46 survivors, covering emergency hospital expenses.
Nwaogu emphasized that without immediate rehabilitation infrastructure, the cycle of exploitation is likely to continue, leaving vulnerable minors at risk.
