Fagbemi: FG to Scale Up Social Investment Programmes to Shield Nigerians from Human Trafficking

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The federal government has reiterated its commitment to scaling social investment programmes to provide livelihood support to Nigerians in order to protect them from being vulnerable to human trafficking.

The plan was disclosed yesterday, in Abuja, by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, at the Opening of the 26th National Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Human Trafficking.

He added: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led government recognises that addressing poverty and underdevelopment is crucial in preventing human trafficking.

“Investing in people, especially young people and the disadvantaged, reduces the desperation that drives individuals into exploitation abroad.”

He added that: “The government remains committed to scaling social investment programs to provide livelihood support, deterring potential victims from falling prey to traffickers.

“The National Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Human Trafficking, instituted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), serves as a vital strategic coordination body.

“It facilitates dialogue and collaboration among relevant stakeholders at both the federal and sub-national levels, enabling the initiation of plans, review of strategies, and sharing of information on different approaches to combating Trafficking in Persons in Nigeria.”

Furthermore, he said: “Human trafficking preys on the most vulnerable members of our society and demands a holistic and concerted response from all sectors. The complexity of counter-human trafficking efforts in Nigeria lies in the intricacies of our social fabric and the trans-national nature of the crime.

“Traffickers exploit the vulnerabilities of people, leveraging poverty, lack of education, and unemployment to ensnare their victims with promises of a better life. The porous nature of our borders and the sophisticated networks of these criminals further compound the challenge of combatting this menace.”

Fagbemi lamented that: “Nigeria, with her rich cultures and peoples, unfortunately serves as a source, transit and destination country for victims of human trafficking. This menace has occasioned great damage to the reputation or profiling of Nigeria in the international community.

“The statistics paint a grim picture, but behind each number lies the stories of those whose freedom and dignity have been truncated. Yet, amidst these challenges, hope remains, and we must reverse this ugly trend.”

He however said: “We must acknowledge the outstanding efforts of Nigeria in operating a unique counter-trafficking model emulated by other African countries. Nigeria has demonstrated its commitments through not only in high number of convictions but also with the successful rescue and rehabilitation of thousands of victims alongside strategic preventive measures.”

He admitted that the fight against human trafficking cannot be shouldered by a single agency or arm of government, stating that it demands a collective effort involving civil society, the private sector, international organisations, communities, and the people.

He said: “I therefore call upon everyone to join hands in this critical fight. This global threat, therefore, requires a coordinated and meaningful response at all levels. Which is why cooperation, communication and information sharing, with our international partners are also key in determining the pace and effectiveness in the delivery of anti-human trafficking responses.”

The Justice Minister said: “I am aware that the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking in Nigeria (2022-2026) outlines the roles of all actors. I urge everyone to not only study the document with specific interest in the thematic areas that fall within their respective mandates, but to ensure effective implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

“Furthermore, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration and the Presidential Priorities as it relates with the mandate of NAPTIP, I implore all stakeholders to work in unison to meet these priorities. On the part of the Federal Ministry of Justice as NAPTIP’s supervising ministry, we will continue to support this critical agency in fulfilling its robust mandate.”

Earlier, the Director General of NAPTIP, Prof. Prof Fatima Waziri – Azi, in her welcome remarks, said since the last meeting in April 2022, a lot have been achieved in the fight against human trafficking in the country, she stated that:

“We have not merely inched forward; we have surged ahead with resolve. We have witnessed the incredible power of cooperation and the unwavering dedication of countless individuals who have come together to combat the injustice of human trafficking. Due to these collaborative efforts, we had a number of firsts in 2023.”

Waziri-Azi, who highlighted the numerous firsts the agency was able to achieve in 2023, also said: “We received and investigated 968 human trafficking complaints. 507 (68.1) internal trafficking complaints and 303 (31.9) external trafficking complaints

“In terms of prosecution, 86 cases were charged to court and 67 convictions were secured.

“We rescued, received and supported 2112 victims (473 Males and 1,639 Females). Females constituted 77.6 per cent of the total victims out of which 43.4 per cent were children.

“Benue State had the highest number of indigenes rescued in 2023 followed by Edo, Ondo, and Akwa Ibom state.

“Rescued and received 47 victims of inward trafficking mostly from west African countries

“We have already secured 14 convictions in 2024 and counting with 243 cases pending before various courts across the country.”

She said the agency had identified emerging trends and patterns in human trafficking for 2023 and already in 2024, “we are seeing incremental cases of trafficking to Vietnam for labor exploitation.”