By John Akinfehinwa Sex workers in Kogi State say they are not left behind in the biting scarcity of naira notes in Nigeria. I...
By John Akinfehinwa
Sex workers in Kogi State say they are not left behind in
the biting scarcity of naira notes in Nigeria.
Inquiries by DAILY POST show that they now carry POS to
avoid being defrauded by their customers when they do bank transfer.
Since the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) announced February
10, 2023, as the deadline for the swap of old naira notes to new naira notes,
many Nigerians have found it hard to do transactions, even though they have
money in their bank account.
The naira became an emergency gold in Nigeria, as anyone in
custody of the new 500 and 1000 notes is treated like a king.
Just as many people in the country, including residents of
Kogi State are obeying President Muhammadu Buhari’s pronouncement on the usage
of new naira notes, business owners, including sex workers (prostitutes) have
now opted to collect transfer or use POS machines to sustain their businesses
in Kogi.
In Lokoja, some of the popular hot spots where prostitutes
gather between 7:30 PM in the evening to do their business are Nigeria
Television Authority, (NTA), roundabout, Jackins, Nigeria Union of Journalists,
(NUJ) road and 16 Hours drinking spot.
Other prominent spots where sex workers gather in Lokoja
include Lounge 1, in Phase one Lokoja, Federal Medical Center, (FMC), road,
Ganaja Junction by flyover, Felele axis, and many more.
In these flash points, the sex hawkers wait for their
customers to patronise them, with both parties agreeing on an amount before
sex.
DAILY POST gathered that, in these areas, some of the sex
hawkers who do not have a specific hotel, or their customers can’t afford one,
decide to have quick sex outside in a dark place.
In a chat with one of the sex workers in Jackins, identified
as Zarah, (not real name) she explained to DAILY POST that she has been in the
business for more than one year.
According to her, she lost her parents and does not have
anyone who will cater for her needs, hence she decided to go into prostitution
business.
When asked how she is sustaining her trade with the naira
scarcity quagmires, Zarah responded, “it is not easy at all. It is difficult to
buy food or even do anything because of this naira scarcity. We just have to
come here every day to try our luck so that we can get something to eat on a
daily basis.
“If I don’t sell my body, how will I get food or pay my
bills? I am an orphan who has nobody to run to. Any person I meet, especially
men, they will want to have my body. So I had no choice than to go into this.
For now, if I can’t get physical cash, my customer will transfer. If I see an
alert, then we go into business”.
Scarcity of Customers
The sex workers lamented over the scarcity of customers in
the last two weeks. According to them, since the issue of naira scarcity, their
customers have continued to drop on a daily basis. A sex hawker in NUJ road,
Queen, who spoke to DAILY POST said she hardly makes half of what she earned
before.
Queen, who noted that she is still finding it difficult to
come to terms with the cashless policy introduced by the Federal Government,
said she hardly gets two or three clients in a day.
“I don’t trust the cashless policy we are into right now
because it does not favour me and my business. Before now, I normally had at
least eight men before daybreak. But right now, it is hard to even see two.
“They keep saying they don’t have cash but transfer. I don’t
have a bank account, so how will I now receive transfers for my business? This
is really hurting my business, I must tell you. As I speak to you, I normally
collect N2000 for a short time, while for daybreak, depending on the client, I
collect nothing less than N7,000. But now my brother, things have changed. If I
see who will give me physical cash, I normally collect N500 for a short time
and N3,000 for daybreak.
Transfers/Fake alert
DAILY POST gathered that the sex workers are battling with
fake transactions from fraudulent customers who patronise them. According to
them, they receive alerts from customers but at the end, the money does not hit
their account.
A sex worker along Lounge I in Phase 1 Lokoja shared her
experience to DAILY POST.
Princess, who thought DAILY POST correspondent wanted to
patronise her sex trade when she was approached at about 10:30 PM on Monday
evening spoke in pidgin English saying, “Bros, I take baba God beg you, make
you no come tell me say na transfer you go do ooo if we talk price. I know una
type. All these yahoo boys, una go dress fine like say una be better person,
but if person gree for una, una go do the person strong thing.
“As for me, I no go form mugu again for this Lokoja. Una
think say to they sleep with different men, he easy. Una get sister, she go
tell una how far as he they go. If I go collect transfer from you, I must see
the alert and confirm for my account before we go go anywhere. If you hold cash
I for prefer am.
“He don pass four men in the last on week we sleep with me
in the name of transfer. Till today, I no see anything for my account and I get
fake alert. I no come Lokoja come look Uche face. I come here come hustle. Just
because say naira scarce, una go come they use another means to dupe us where
we they hustle genuinely and no want go thief for road. If you they game, make
I know. Day break na N10,000 while short time na N4,000”. (Sic).
Sex workers resort to POS to avert fake transaction
Following their numerous financial experience in the last
two weeks some sex workers in Lokoja, especially those in Felele, NUJ axis have
resorted to carrying POS to avoid being cheated by fraudulent customers.
DAILY POST gathered that the sex workers put the POS in
their bags in case their customers have no physical cash.
Precious, a single mother of two who has been in the sex
business for over seven years, said using a POS machine will guarantee her
money in her account.
According to her, it reduces the incident of fake alerts and
ensures that she has money in her account to pay her bills at the end of the
day.
“Some of us in this business have decided to get our own POS
machines to avoid fake transfers. If you observe, there is scarcity of naira
notes in the country. Although our daily customers have dropped, we decided to
start collecting transfers. But this is not favouring us.
“That is why we carry POS. If we agree on a fixed price, you
will insert your ATM on our POS machine. When the transaction is successful,
then we can go and have sex,” Precious added.
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