An undercover investigation reveals a motel’s hidden ties to sex work, drugs, and law enforcement corruption.
If you walk through Ajiwe in Ajah, Lagos, during the day, you’ll notice the usual sights: residential estates, small roadside shops, children playing, and the bustling “God is Good” motor park. But a more observant passerby might spot a three-story, beige-colored building beside the park—Travellers Lodge.
By day, it appears to be just another budget motel, a place to grab a drink, watch football, or buy a quick meal. But after dark, the lodge takes on a different identity: a hub for sex work and illicit activities. Young women, some barely out of their teens, loiter around the entrance, clad in revealing outfits, enticing male customers as afrobeat music blares through the speakers. Among them are bus conductors, intoxicated patrons, and men looking for a night’s entertainment.
For years, I suspected there was more to Travellers Lodge than met the eye. As a longtime resident of a nearby estate, I had walked past its premises countless times. But it wasn’t until I met Berenice*, a cleaner who had worked at the lodge since 2020, that I learned the full extent of what went on inside. She described scenes of young girls being beaten, coerced, and exploited—stories that would soon lead my colleague Kabir and me to go undercover to uncover the truth.
The Stories of Sweet, Faith, and Rose
On separate occasions, Kabir and I infiltrated Travellers Lodge—he posed as a customer, while I attempted to enter as a prospective sex worker.
At the bar, a dimly lit outdoor space with plastic chairs and a counter stocked with alcohol, Kabir was approached by three women—Sweet*, Faith*, and Rose*. Each had her own story of how she ended up in the lodge, and their experiences revealed the grim realities of sex work in Lagos.
“It’s just the hustle” – Sweet’s Story
For Sweet, sex work wasn’t a choice—it was survival.
Her story began in 2014 when she left Rivers State for Lagos to live with her uncle. His wife was rarely home, and one night, he took advantage of the situation, sexually abusing her.
“Once that happened, I knew I had to leave,” she said. “I spent years hawking on the streets before a friend brought me here. I won’t lie—it’s not a good job, but you can make money if you know what you’re doing.”
On a good night, Sweet makes up to ₦50,000, though she has to pay ₦6,000 daily for her room. Some customers don’t even demand sex, she claimed. “One man spent two hours with me, bought me food and drinks, then left without touching me,” she said. “It’s just the hustle.”
“My family cannot know about this” – Faith’s Story
Not all the women at Travellers Lodge ended up there because of financial hardship. Faith*, for instance, comes from a well-off family. Her older sisters are studying medicine and law in the UK, and her mother is a Nollywood actress.
Faith’s parents believe she works as a receptionist at a Lagos firm. But in reality, she is a sex worker, waiting for the day her wealthy “sugar daddy” will take her away from the lodge.
“I’m not proud of this,” she admitted. “I won’t let my younger sister do it. She already smokes and dresses scantily, but the men here are too rough for her.”
“Be nice to them and they won’t harass you” – Rose’s Story
Rose*, who also works as a caterer at the lodge, lost everything when her shop and home burned down in October. With no other way to survive, she turned to sex work.
“I just need to make enough money to get my own place again,” she said. Unlike Sweet, Rose has a schedule: “15 hours on, 15 hours off.”
When asked about safety, she shrugged. “You just have to be nice to them, and they won’t harass you.”
Who Owns Travellers Lodge?
According to Berenice, the lodge’s origins are murky. Some claim it was built in 2018 by drug dealers who saw a business opportunity in the growing estates nearby. Others say it started as a regular motel but was later converted into a brothel by its current owner, a man known as Oracle.
Regardless of its origins, one thing is clear: Travellers Lodge is a hotspot for illegal activities, including drug distribution.
Drugs, Corruption, and Law Enforcement Complicity
Despite a sign at the lodge explicitly prohibiting drug use, the reality is much different.
When I posed as a prospective sex worker, I was introduced to two men—Taiye and Expensive Doggie—who acted as “assistants” to Oracle.
“We sell all kinds of drugs here,” Taiye boasted. “Meth, Ecstasy, Canadian loud, Codeine—you name it. And it’s authentic.”
Given that the Ajiwe Police Station is just 290 meters away, I asked how they operated so openly. Expensive Doggie laughed.
“The DCO at that station is one of our patrons,” he claimed. “If there’s a raid, he bails us out. Nothing can happen to us.”
Sweet confirmed this, saying some plainclothes officers even come to the lodge as customers. “I’ve had one in my bed before,” she said.
Underage Girls and Recruitment
The final step in my undercover investigation was meeting Oracle himself.
In a small, dingy room with faded walls and a chipping toilet, Oracle greeted me with suspicion. “You look too ajebo. Are you a spy?” he asked.
When I convinced him I wasn’t, he asked my age. “Sixteen,” I responded.
“That’s fine,” he said. “All you need is a big, mature body.”
Despite Nigeria’s strict laws against child exploitation, Oracle showed no concern. The only requirement for new recruits? The ability to afford the first day’s rent.
The Legal and Social Debate
Sex work in Nigeria exists in a legal gray area. While prostitution itself isn’t explicitly criminalized, laws prohibit activities such as operating a brothel or procuring young women for sex work.
For some, the solution is decriminalization, as seen in parts of Canada and Belgium, where sex workers receive legal protections and benefits. But for others, like psychologist Anthonia Abu, the real issue is deeper.
“These women don’t choose this life,” she said. “They’re doing what they can to survive.”
She believes that real change can only come from addressing economic hardship and societal stigma. “Most of these women are smart and hardworking,” she said. “They just need a chance.”
What Happens Next?
Despite repeated claims by police that they have raided Travellers Lodge, the establishment remains operational, and law enforcement officials refused to comment on allegations of their involvement.
Efforts to contact Oracle or any official representative were unsuccessful. One staff member, when approached, simply said, “I’m not comfortable responding.”
Travellers Lodge remains a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding sex work, crime, and law enforcement corruption in Nigeria. And for the women inside, it’s just another night in the hustle.
This story was produced with support from the Tiger Eye Foundation under the On Nigeria program, funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
