In the fall of 2007, the government of Lagos State under governor Babatunde Fashola initiated a police crackdown on public indecency in personal dress based upon the state's dress code. It was carried out by state police commissioner Mohammed Abubakar, and resulted in the arrests of at least 90 women and 3 men. Their cases in court were defended by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and officials of the Rural Women Empowerment and Development Network (RWEDN), and the police institution was criticized for misplacement of priorities, violation of women's rights, and the violation of human rights to expression.
The police responded by stating that the crackdown was initiated to combat female prostitution in the state.
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“In my dreams is a country where the State is the Church and the Church the people: three in one and one in three. It is a commonwealth in which work is play and play is life: three in one and one in three. It is a temple in which the priest is the worshiper and the worshiper the worshipped: three in one and one in three. It is a godhead in which all life is human and all humanity divine: three in one and one in three.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)