Nigerian Man Allegedly Jailed In Togo For Calling Woman ‘Prostitute

A Nigerian man is reportedly serving a prison sentence in Togo after allegedly referring to a woman as a “prostitute” during a heated argument while on holiday in the West African country.

The claim was made by an 𝕏 user identified as John, who said the man is his neighbour and had initially been believed to be missing after travelling to Togo for a vacation.

According to John, the incident occurred at a hotel where the Nigerian man was staying when a disagreement reportedly broke out between him and a woman.

He alleged that during the confrontation, the man insulted the woman by calling her “Ashawo”na Nigerian slang term for a prostitute.

John further claimed that local authorities were alerted to the incident, leading to the man’s arrest.

According to his account, accusing a woman of being a prostitute without proof is considered a criminal offence under Togolese law.

Sharing the story on social media, John wrote:

“We just found out my neighbour, who we thought had been missing since he told us he was travelling to Togo for a holiday, is actually in jail for calling a woman ‘Ashawo.’

“Apparently, while on vacation at the hotel where he was staying, an argument broke out between him and a lady. Like how some Nigerian men call women ‘Ashawo’ when they’ve run out of meaningful things to say, my neighbour called the lady ‘Ashawo,’ and the authorities were called.”

He further claimed that the alleged insult resulted in the man’s prosecution and imprisonment.

“Calling a woman ‘Ashawo’ is a criminal offence in Togo if you can’t prove she’s a prostitute. They treat such offences seriously, and he was thrown into jail.

“He was supposed to have resumed work, but he’s now serving a jail term in Togo. That serves him right anyway.”

The claim has generated reactions on social media, with many users expressing surprise at the alleged legal consequences, while others advised Nigerians travelling abroad to familiarise themselves with the laws and cultural norms of their destination countries.