In an effort to combat prostitution and empower vulnerable women, the Bauchi State Shariah Commission has successfully rehabilitated over 570 former commercial sex workers by providing them with vocational training and start-up capital to support new livelihoods.
This was disclosed by the Commission’s Permanent Commissioner, Barr. Aminu Balarabe Isa, during a media briefing at his office.
According to Isa, the initiative forms part of the Commission’s broader strategy to reintegrate what he described as “women of free virtues” into mainstream society by equipping them with sustainable skills for self-reliance.
The beneficiaries, drawn from various communities across the state, received training in trades such as tailoring, hairdressing, makeup artistry, and other small-scale income-generating activities.
Isa revealed that the Commission had initially explored the possibility of facilitating marriages for the women but reconsidered after discovering that many had turned to sex work due to poverty and lack of viable alternatives.
“Rather than imposing marriage on them, we chose to tackle the root cause—poverty—by equipping them with skills and resources to support themselves,” he explained.
He described the programme as a departure from punitive measures, aligning instead with the Islamic principles of compassion and rehabilitation. Isa added that the initiative has drawn praise from various stakeholders who view it as a humane and pragmatic response to a deep-rooted societal issue.
