Several commercial sex workers in Benin City, Edo State, have accused officials of the state’s Migration Task Force of extortion and exposing them to public shame following a recent raid in the Government Reservation Area (GRA).
The women were arrested last Monday night during a clampdown by the Edo State Task Force on Migration, aimed at tackling prostitution and drug-related activities. They were reportedly taken to the state’s Migration Agency office for profiling.
According to the victims, officials demanded between ₦15,000 and ₦50,000 from each of them in exchange for a promise not to publish videos recorded during their interrogation. But despite paying, the videos allegedly surfaced online, showing their full faces and identities.
“I paid ₦50,000 through POS, and they promised to keep the video private. A few days later, my family saw it on TikTok and Instagram. Now, they’ve disowned me,” one of the victims told reporters.
Another woman said 30 of them were arrested during a raid on Ihama Street and that they were all asked to pay the same amount to avoid public embarrassment. “My people say I’ve brought shame to the family,” she added tearfully.
The women identified one Mr. Uyinmwen Uyigue as the person who collected the payments, presenting receipts to back up their claims. Uyigue, however, denied acting on behalf of the Edo State Migration Agency. He claimed the money was collected as penalties on behalf of lodge owners under the Benin GRA Hospitality Forum.
He explained that the forum, which includes hotel and lodge operators in the area, had agreed to fine any guest caught soliciting publicly.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lucky Agazuma, Director-General of the Edo State Task Force Against Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, has denied the agency’s involvement in the alleged extortion or video leak. He insisted the task force is focused solely on rehabilitation and reintegration, and does not collect money from individuals in custody.
The incident has sparked outrage and raised questions about the treatment of vulnerable groups and the ethics of public shaming.
