Florence Uwaeme
Commercial sex workers and commercial vehicle owners did not comply with the restriction and social distancing order issued by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike as the spread of coronavirus across the country continued to spike.
Nigeria has recorded 46 cases amongst which are chief of staff to president Buhari and Bauchi State Governor.
Wike had in a broadcast on Monday ordered the closure of clubs, bars and public parks. Worship centres were also ordered to close until further notice.
Also, commercial drivers were asked to reduce the number of passengers they carry as a way of keeping reasonable distances between people.
While the drivers were blunter in their refusal to comply with the order, the sex workers, however, added flavour to their business by providing hand sanitizers for their intending customers.
The drivers said reducing the number of passengers will make them scoop loses as they buy fuel to ply their trade. They, however, said if the passengers will agree to pay more to cover the cost, they would abide by the government’s directive.
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But all the brothels visited by our correspondent were open as male customers flooded in. Some of the sex workers who spoke to our correspondent said they have procured hand sanitizers which they force their customers to apply before they get down to business.
A sex worker at Rumuola who gave her name as Jessica, while responding to enquiries by our correspondent said they have no choice but to open for business as they do not have enough money to keep them till the end of the lockdown.
“We don buy hand sanitizers and we don change the way we dey do am. So instead of missionary style, we don changed to doggy style, that way, our face no go contact”
Other commercial sex workers said it was impossible for them to shut down business as they feed from hand to mouth and have to pay rent too.
