By Chioma Gabriel
Besides Lagos, insecurity has killed nightlife across states in Nigeria….
Few years ago Jos, the capital city of Plateau State used to be  a hub for leisure and nightlife.  But the story has since changed.

Today, the Plateau State capital  is being devastated by deadly ethno-religious violence and this has forced  authorities in power to impose curfews and other firm measures hampering free movement in the metropolis. Nigerians  no doubt crave for safety, but  they also miss hanging out at weekends.

However,  prostitutes  are losing their most lucrative working hours.

To curb violence in the city,  the state government declared a dusk-till-dawn curfew in July, this year.

Femi Kuti’s dancers entertain the audience at the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos on July 29, 2012. Nigeria marks on August 2, 2012 fifteen years since the death of Kuti, the Nigerian afrobeat musician who became a global icon thanks to his unique sound, his wild lifestyle and his harsh criticism of his country’s corrupt military regimes. AFP PHOTO

Amanda Johnson has been doing business in Jos where she has been living since childhood and she finds the situation worrisome.

“People used to patronise my restaurant business a lot but with the present security situation, business is no longer what it used to be”. he recounted.

Amanda depends on the profits she makes from her restaurant to pay for her  undergraduate tuition and cover other basic needs.

“ Things have changed.  Although parts of the city is normally peaceful but fear of what is happening in other parts of the north and in Plateau State is affecting life generally. People no longer hang out as they used to. Night life is virtually dead and a couple of times, we have curfew to contend with.”

In the bid to stem the incessant violence in Plateau State, the government has in fact put in place several security measures. There have been declaration of a state of emergency in the state’s capital city,  as well as three other local government areas and despite these efforts, bombings and village night raids seem to only get worse.

Recent attacks in Barkin Ladi and Riyom by unknown gunmen killed over fifty people, including two lawmakers. Residents of the tin city believe that without  some of the security measures taken by government, the recent attacks would have sparked-off violent reprisals.

Wale, another business man in the city opines that  regardless of any related inconveniences, government did the right thing by  tightening security measures. “Without taking this step, there would have been chaos.”

Nightshifts no more? On a recent night, a commercial sex worker, who does not wish to have her name in print, but will go by Claire  was found at a deserted beer parlour in a Jos suburb . Claire claims she  usually goes out around 9 p.m. because that is the time that most fun seekers come out but with the current situation, she  doesn’t have a plan.

“I go out anytime. This is bad for my kind of  job because many men only approach women in the night.”

Before the violence escalated, she  was making an average of N10, 000  and  roughly 50 Euros a night. However, since their implementation, Claire claimed she  has  not been making  money.

“ People prefer to stay indoors at night most of the time and that is the tradition that has come to stay. Jos is no longer what it used to be because security of lives and properties has become supreme”.