Human trafficking and Illegal Migration: Spotlight on Nigeria

The modern slavery industry is estimated to generate over $150billion
annually, an equivalent of Nigeria’s budget for five years. Over 40
million people are a victim of modern slavery worldwide, according to
the Global Slavery Index Report, which ranks Nigeria 32/167 of the
countries with the highest number of slaves – 1,386,000. Woman and
children make up more than 70 per cent of this demographic.

Nigeria is at the epicentre of human trafficking and migration crisis.
In the past five years, Nigeria has been highlighted as a source,
transit and destination country for human trafficking. It might be
interesting to state that 75 per cent of trafficked cases in Nigeria is
done inter-state, while 23 per cent are intra-state and only two per
cent is trafficked out of the country, this is corroborated by the
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Across the states and streets of Nigeria, cases of human trafficking
abound either in the form of commercial sex, forced labour, begging,
forced marriage, organ harvesting, ritual practices, etc. Think of that
young boy or girl in the custody of a madam who sells him out to the
highest bidder or the young lady who is prostituted by a madam.

The irregular migration portfolio of Nigeria has bloated. It was
reported that 602,000 Nigerians migrated to Europe in 2016 through the
desert and Mediterranean of which 27,000 died. Interestingly, Nigeria is
also at the receiving end of the global migration crisis. Ongoing
security challenges in the country have revealed the army of
undocumented immigrants who have come to found solace in the country.

Victims of trafficking often become irregular migrants as they are
illegally taken to different parts of the world with their identity,
documents and passports taken from them by their traffickers, hereby
contributing to the local and global burden of migration. These people
suffer gross misuse and abuse, trauma, unknown and unfriendly terrain,
inhuman treatments, misuse and abuse, and social rejection and disdain.

Considering the push and pull factors of illegal migration and human
trafficking, it is pertinent that all stakeholders, starting with the
family unit and government take proactive measures to educate, enlighten
and empower their wards and citizens respectively against this social
misnomer. Winning the war against trafficking and illegal starts with
stopping it from happening, primarily, through reorientation and
economic empowerment.

Ignorance remains a needful rewarding factor for traffickers. They are
always in search of young minds and their family members who are unaware
of the realities and risks of being trafficked. Traffickers paint a
picture of paradise to their unsuspecting victims, only to swing the
deal in the course of the journey. In checking human trafficking,
therefore, public enlightenment must be increased through trusted
sources – parents, religious and commercial centres, media, et al. More
people need to be aware of the workings of traffickers. Only an informed
mind can make informed decisions.

Empowerment, engagement and employment are also essential to stemming
the tide of trafficking and illegal migration in Nigeria.  When young
people are incapacitated to make viable economic decisions and live
comfortably, they are vulnerable to trafficking, smuggling and migrating
dangerously. Government and its institutions, private and international
agencies must be forthright in advancing empowerment and employment
capacities in Nigeria.

While the prosecution of traffickers and smugglers has been improving in
Nigeria, there is a need to do more through the relevant agencies. High
profile prosecutions must be accomplished as this will send a strong
signal to intending and existing perpetrators of this 21st-century crime
against humanity.
Policymakers need to review existing legal frameworks on human rights
abuses as such is trafficking. These laws should provide protection
measures for trafficked persons, ease of repatriation for illegal
migrants and active prosecution for offenders.

As a powerhouse for the African continent and emerging global
development, Nigeria has so much to lose if appropriate measures are not
decisively taken on curbing the trend of human trafficking and illegal
migration. Think of the loses – lives, manpower, money, investments,
relationships, reputation and the future. We can do better!

Tola Emmanuel is a legal practitioner.
tolawrites@gmail.com