A promise of employment brought a young girl from Benue State to Abuja. Instead of the opportunity she expected, she reportedly found herself trapped in prostitution — a disturbing case that has exposed the hidden dangers facing women and girls in the Federal Capital Territory.
The case was disclosed by the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) as the council raised fresh concerns over gender-based violence, trafficking and other forms of abuse affecting residents across its communities.
The Special Adviser on Women Affairs to the AMAC Chairman, Hon. Loveth Izekor, revealed the case during a press conference in Abuja at the weekend while speaking on the theme, “Unite to Protect: Empowering AMAC Women Through Knowledge and Action.”
According to Izekor, the girl was brought from Benue State to Abuja under the impression that she was coming to secure employment.
But after arriving in the nation’s capital, she reportedly discovered that the promised job did not exist and that she had instead been brought into prostitution.
The girl eventually fled the situation and sought help, leading AMAC to intervene.
For Izekor, the case is a powerful reminder that trafficking and gender-based violence are not distant problems affecting only other communities.
“This is happening in FCT. A lot of these cases are happening,” she warned.
She said some of the cases brought to her office since she assumed the position about three months earlier had been critical, reinforcing the need for stronger awareness, early reporting and community intervention.
The council’s concern extends beyond individual cases. AMAC covers 12 wards and numerous communities, including Karshi, Kuje, Bwari and Orozo. Izekor said the council therefore needs to take information about women’s rights, GBV, trafficking and available support services directly to residents.
Rather than concentrating awareness campaigns in Abuja’s city centre, AMAC plans to work through traditional rulers, royal mothers, ward and community coordinators, councillors’ wives and women leaders to reach residents at the grassroots.
The council has also unveiled an emergency intervention helpline designed to give victims and witnesses a confidential channel to report abuse, request urgent intervention and access security, legal, healthcare and other support services.
The initiative brings together relevant security, legal, healthcare, traditional and community stakeholders, reflecting the council’s position that protecting women and girls cannot be left to government alone.
Izekor urged residents who witness abuse to take action rather than remain silent.
She also called on women to build safe spaces where victims can seek assistance without fear, while urging parents and communities to educate girls about their rights and teach them to recognise situations where they should speak up or say no.
Traditional and religious leaders, she added, have an important role to play because of their influence within communities. They can help challenge the silence and social attitudes that allow abuse and exploitation to continue.
The Benue-to-Abuja case therefore carries a warning that extends far beyond one survivor: promises of employment can sometimes conceal exploitation, and silence can give abusers more room to operate.
AMAC is now pushing for earlier intervention by taking awareness closer to residents and encouraging victims and witnesses to report cases before they become critical.
The message is one the council wants communities to remember: women and girls should not have to face abuse alone, and a person who sees someone in danger should never assume that somebody else will speak up.
