By: Nafiu Toyin Abdulqadri.
Commercial sex workers in Kano have joined the growing chorus of voices calling for an end to the nationwide hunger protests, citing severe economic hardship and loss of livelihood. The sex workers, who spoke to newsmen on Thursday, appealed to the protest organizers to engage in dialogue with the Federal Government to address their grievances.
According to the sex workers, the protests and subsequent curfew have crippled social-economic activities, leaving them without customers and struggling to survive. Monica James, a sex worker on France Road, said she had not eaten for two days due to the curfew, while Deborah Iliya, another sex worker on Yoruba Road, described the situation as “horrible.”
The sex workers urged the protest organizers to shelve their demonstrations and negotiate with the government to restore normalcy. They lamented that the infiltration of hoodlums and subsequent violence had further exacerbated their situation, forcing some to share rooms due to lack of customers.
Other business owners in Sabon Gari, including bar attendants and dealers in goat meat, also expressed similar sentiments, citing significant losses due to the curfew and lack of customers. The appeal by the sex workers adds to the growing calls for a return to normalcy and an end to the protests, which have paralyzed economic activities in Kano and other parts of the country.