At least 2,000 prostitutes in southern Anambra state threatened to go on strike Wednesday after local government officials demolished their brothels where they lived next to a cattle market in the state capital Awka. The commercial sex workers accused the officials of destroying their business without notice.

The Anambra State Urban Development Board allegedly stormed the brothels Monday afternoon near the border community of Amansea with more than 50 armed police officers on the suspicion that the structures were being used as hideouts for kidnappers and other criminals. Shortly after authorities demolished their homes, the angry prostitutes set the cattle market ablaze.

“We are decent people. We do our business and go our way. We don’t harbor criminals. After all, most of the people that visit us are government officials. They want me to expose them?” the leader of the prostitutes, who gave her name as Rachel, said during an interview with Punch newspaper. “They destroyed our center and left behind other huts, kiosks and canteens that belong to the Hausa cattle traders. Is that justice? Don’t those one harbor kidnappers and criminals?”

Read More: sunnewsonline