THE SCOURGE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

All critical stakeholders should do more to stem the menace

By their modus operandi, human traffickers move their victims from country to country until they reach their destination. In the process, many die even as the survivors are subjected to all forms of indignity, in the bid to repay the heavy debts owed to “benefactors” by way of travel expenses. But the trade is thriving because most of the people involved wield powerful influence with which they circumvent the law. It is therefore shameful that Nigeria is regarded not only as a transit route for this illegal trade but also a source as well as a destination with children and young adults, especially of the womenfolk, now becoming merchandise.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said last week that human traffickers are increasingly using digital platforms to lure and exploit victims. “Trafficking has gone digital. We must act fast, or risk being outpaced by criminals who now use sophisticated online tools to recruit, control, and exploit victims,” he said at a stakeholders’ consultative forum in Abuja. “Human trafficking remains one of the world’s most profitable crimes. We must adapt, especially as traffickers now exploit digital tools to operate.”

 It is quite unfortunate that human trafficking is thriving among some desperate Nigerians who have come to regard it as a business. Indeed, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has long confirmed the prevalence of modern-day slavery known as trafficking in persons (TIP) in our country. “Its high occurrence has made Nigeria to be classified as a source, transit and destination country in TIP,” UNODC once stated while estimating that 750,000 to one million persons are trafficked annually in the country. But the increasing number of our citizens being trafficked abroad for nefarious activities places a heavy burden on the authorities.

To combat this challenge, the federal government had in 2003 enacted the Trafficking in Persons Law Enforcement and Administration Act. It was amended in 2005 to prescribe more severe penalties for trafficking offenders as well as prohibits all forms of human trafficking. Despite that, human trafficking remains a major challenge in the country today.  We are of the strong belief that a demonstration of political will to prosecute offenders would serve as deterrent to those engaged in the nefarious trade, irrespective of their social status.

The sheer magnitude and sophistication of this human merchandising indicate that for any meaningful breakthrough to be achieved in combating it, collaborative attempts must be made by governments, non-governmental organisations, corporate bodies and even influential individuals. But critical stakeholders can no longer continue to watch from the sidelines while unscrupulous people classify fellow human beings as commodities and benefit from their ignorance, desperation and, sometimes, greed. For instance, the National Universities Commission (NUC) recently alerted the public about a foreign-based human trafficking network that operates under the pretence of offering scholarships to Nigerian students.

Last December, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) rearrested convicted human trafficker and leader of a notorious international trafficking syndicate, Uadiale Christiana Jacob, popularly known as ‘Christy Gold’. But beyond bringing one notorious culprit to justice, there is an urgent need for families, voluntary organisations, and other stakeholders to join NAPTIP in the efforts to fight human trafficking. A demonstration of political will to diligently prosecute offenders would also serve as deterrence. We must cast away the complacency that has emboldened the perpetrators of this criminal enterprise who exploit the most vulnerable of our society for illicit gains. Ignoring the subtle signals of violence inflicted on our women and girls can only lead to disruption in our families and society. While we commend NAPTIP for its efforts, curbing these tragic incidents is a collective responsibility.