According to reports, the women were arrested on Saturday, April 27, 2019, during a raid on nightclubs in the Federal Capital Territory and were detained at the Utako Police Station.

Explaining the reason for the women’s arrest, the Abuja Police Command said the women were arrested because they were hanging around nightclubs, while the Public Relations Officer of the Social Development Secretariat of the FCTA, Sunday Shaka, said some of them were arrested for provocative dressing, consumption of illegal drugs and attracting criminal elements.

However, during a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday, May 2, 2019, seven women who were convicted by a mobile court for prostitution narrated how they were unfairly arrested, assaulted and even raped by law enforcement officers. They all spoke anonymously with their backs turned to the press.

On Tuesday, April 30, 2019, the alleged abuse of the women caused outrage as Nigerians took to social media to condemn the act.

Also on Saturday, May 4, 2019, Nigerians went to the Abuja Police Command to protest the alleged rape of the women.

Some of the protesters carried placards that read “Sex for bail is rape”, “To be a woman is not a crime”, “You should protect us not harm us”, among others.

Addressing reporters during the protest, the leader of the protesters, Rebecca Umar said women should be free to wear whatever they want and police are supposed to protect them. 

“We are here to tell the police that you. The police is supposed to be our friend. We are women, we should be free to wear whatever we want to wear without being arrested,”

“It is not a crime to be a woman. We will not be silent, we are here because of the recent happenings at Utako (Caramelo) and other places. The police is supposed to defend us, not rape us,” she said.

Meanwhile, the FCT police command said it had set up a “high power” team to probe the allegations against its officers.