EMIR WARNS UNDERAGE GIRLS AGAINST STREET HAWKING

The Emir of Lafia, Dr. Isah  Agawi, has warned underage girls against hawking on the streets of Lafia beyond 6pm, saying that anyone who flouted the directive would be arrested and prosecuted by the palace guards.

Agawi, who stated this in an interview with Northern City News on Tuesday in Lafia, said the emirate council took the decision to prevent sexual harassment of young girls by some Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome patients who erroneously believed that having sex with such girls could cure them of the dreaded disease.



He said, “There are two major reasons that we are hearing about cases of rape. We gathered that some HIV/AIDs victims went to some Mallams (Islamic clerics) who encouraged them to have sex with underage girls, particularly those that are five years, with the belief that they (AIDS patient) would be cured of HIV/AIDS sickness.

“Those encouraging HIV/AIDs patients to have sex with underage girls so they will be free of the disease should desist from such act,” he warned.

The emir, who spoke through the Madaki of Lafia, Chief Isayaku Dauda, said the emirate council had deployed 10 palace guards to enforce the order against street hawking by underage girls.

The emirate council identified areas where underage girls could be sexually harassed to include, ’On The Move,’ ‘Makurdi,’ ‘Akuruba,’ and ‘Shendam parks.’

Agawi said, “Girls below 10 year-old must not be seen hawking till late in the evening, but if found hawking beyond six o’clock, she would be arrested and prosecuted by the emirate palace guards in the state.”

He urged parents to keep an eye on their wards, noting that many families needed enlightenment on the dangers of street hawking and and HIV/AIDS in the state.