FCT officials storm popular Abuja night club Caramelo and arrest 34 strip dancers

THIRTY four female dancers were arrested in Abuja yesterday when Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) officials carried out a raid on the popular Caramelo nightclub as part of a crackdown on strip dancing.

During the raid, the front perimeter fence of the nightclub, which is located at Utako district of Abuja, was demolished. Umar Shuaibu, the coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, confirmed that the FCTA Joint Task Team, which comprises of the Department of Development Control, Abuja Environmental Protection Board and the Social Development Secretariat stormed the premises of the night club.

He added: “In response to security reports and complaints from the residents of area adjoining the location of Caramelo Night Club on plot 630 Cadastral zone B05 along TOS Benson Street within Utako District, the relevant authority deployed its officers to carry out surveillance in order to validate the complaints. The outcome of the surveillance revealed that the complaints are genuine and real.

"Please note that the substance of these complaints include, noise nuisance from loud party music, nude/strip dancing club activities intractable traffic challenge, resulting from uncontrolled patronage to the commercial nightclub within the residential precinct. The plot under reference is zoned as a health clinic on the Utako District Landuse Plan and the building plan approval granted was for the development of the health clinic.

“Accordingly, the property was developed as a health clinic however, the use of the building has been changed to a commercial night club. We had repeatedly engaged with the operator of Caramelo and other operators on the need to stop their operations but all to no avail."

Mr Shuaibu assured the public that his department will continue to ensure the city remains a safe place for living, working and recreating. Safiya Umar, the acting secretary of the Social Development Secretariat, said the owner of the club would be punished according to the law, considering the calibre of girls arrested.

Mrs Umar said the preliminary investigation showed that the nude dancers were from wealthy homes, adding that some of them were married and have children. She said the dancers have been taken to Wuse General Hospital for medical checkups, after which they would be taken to FCT rehabilitation centre in Lugbe, where they will stay for three months.