Niger State gov’t shuts 50-room brothel, 13 beer parlours
The Niger State government has sealed a 50-room brothel said to be occupied by prostitutes alongside 13 beer lager retail outlets located near the Jumma’at Mosque.
Arewa PUNCH gathered from sources and residents that the State Liquor Licensing Board carried out this action during an operation within the prohibited areas in Mokwa, Lavun, and Edati local government areas.
The board clamped down on beer parlours operating illegally and those operating within prohibited areas.
The brothel is said to be located adjacent to the Jumma’at Mosque in Mokwa, with about 50 fully-booked-up rooms harbouring the prostitutes which are said to be constituting a nuisance and discomfort to worshippers.
According to the board’s findings, the hotel also posed a serious challenge to the community’s religious and prayer activities.
The Executive Director of Operations at the Liquor board Mohammed Hamisu was said to have approached the owner of the hotel, a former councillor in the local government, Bitagi, and was able to convince him to let go of the brothel business.
Although the ex-councillor was said to have expressed his desire to sell the property to someone who would either use the place to expand the mosque or establish an Islamiyya school for the benefit of the community.
But before that period, an operation was carried out during a tour of the Mokwa/Lavun/Edati local government areas by the board under the supervision of Hamisu.
According to reports, the Director General, Liquor Licensing Board, Yahaya Halidu, gave the directive to conduct the routine inspection.
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During the exercise, some of the beer parlours were said to be operating without approved licenses thereby rendering their operations illegal while others were said to be located within the restricted areas where selling and consumption of alcohol was prohibited.
The liqour board insisted that these, among other reasons, led to the closure of the beer parlours.
The establishments were said to have failed to comply with the Board’s regulations concerning the sale and consumption of alcohol.
Hamisu vowed that the board would continue to rid the state of all illegal and unlicensed beer parlours.
He warned owners of the affected brothels and beer parlours that any attempt to reopen them would attract severe penalties, as specified in the state’s liquor licensing laws.
Hamisu urged the public to refrain from renting their properties to beer vendors or operators who open their rooms out to prostitutes, stressing that such actions could lead to forfeiture of their properties.
“The board will rid the state of all illegal and unlicensed beer parlours. All owners of the affected brothels and beer parlours that attempt to reopen them will attract severe penalties, as specified in the state’s liquor licensing laws.
“The public should refrain from renting their properties to beer parlours vendors or brothel owners as such actions will lead to forfeiture of their properties,” he said.
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