Gombe targets hotels facilitating sexual exploitation of minors

From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe

The Gombe State government has disclosed reasons for cracking down on hotels involved in the sexual exploitation of minors in the state.

According to the government, the persistent raids on hotels and subsequent demolition of those found guilty of such crimes are aimed at protecting minors from any form of exploitation. The government assured that it would continue to take decisive action against establishments that facilitate such crimes, stating that such behaviour will not be tolerated in the state.

This was disclosed by the Executive Chairman of the Gombe State Urban Planning and Development Authority (GOSUPDA), Samanja Bappayo Maudo, in an interview with *Daily Sun*. He vowed to monitor the activities of hoteliers to prevent underage sex trafficking and other immoral acts in the state.

He explained that the move against immoral acts is in response to the growing concern over the exploitation of teenagers and other local strip clubs (gala) in the state. He said, “The practice of trafficking underage and other individuals for the purpose of sexual exploitation is not only abhorrent but also illegal, and that is what some of those hoteliers in Gombe are engaged in.”

He alleged that some of the hoteliers in Gombe metropolis go beyond allowing teenagers onto their premises to even facilitating the hooking up of underage girls for sexual exploitation. Recall that in 2024, the state government announced the ban of ‘gidan gala’ for becoming a haven for prostitution, the sale of illicit drugs, and serving as hideouts for criminals.

According to Maudo, the GOSUPDA-led operation, which involves various stakeholders, has so far identified and demolished about seven hotels and gidan gala involved in such activities. “We are currently keeping a watchful eye on some hotels refusing to stop and discontinue such acts,” Maudo said.

“In some cases, during our surprise visit, you will find two or more of such teenagers with five or even six adult men in a room; they will be smoking and playing music, some will be quiet in some rooms and even locked from the outside doing only God knows what in the room. We know a hotel that has about 40 rooms but only charges such guests per hour,” the chairman added.

“The government has made clear that it will not allow such acts, so we are closely monitoring that hotel, and if the owner is not careful, it will soon be marked for demolition. We are calling on such hoteliers to change and do lawful business. We are not against the hotel business, but against the act of turning the good business into a hub for criminals and other immoral activities,” Maudo assured.