CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
After the abolition of slave trade in the 18th Century and by 1960, when Nigeria secured her independence from Britain, slavery as a social institution or socio-cultural practice had virtually ceased to exist. Indeed, it became illegal and vexatious even to raise the issue in reference to an individual or group. In 1980s, however, when Nigeria’s economy witnessed serious decline as a result of oil glut, the country began to experience mass poverty manifested by increasing unemployment, soaring prices of essential goods and low wages. Consequently, there was widespread misery and frustration among the populace especially the large number of unemployed youths who began to believe that their prospect of economic survival lay outside the shores of the country. This encouraged many youths to begin to emigrate from Nigeria in large number and, in most cases, to Europe, Asia and America.
The mass transition of youths from Nigeria and, indeed, other Sub-Saharan African and Asian countries to the economically advanced nations of Europe and America encouraged the emergence of syndicates who devised methods for enticing would-be trafficked persons. In the case of Nigeria specifically, the syndicates developed very strong and dependable network for effective organization, recruitment and movement of would-be trafficked persons from their local communities to North Africa across the perilous Sahara Desert. Most Nigerian victims of human trafficking pass through Niger, Mali, Tunisia, Morocco or Libya en route to Europe (Akor, 2011).
Trafficking in Human beings was relatively unknown in Nigeria until the late 1990’s. Victims of Trafficking were seen as prostitutes or at best illegal or irregular migrants that were justifiably deported back to Nigeria and other West African countries. Within the country and indeed west African sub-region, victims were perceived as either prostitutes for those kept in the brothels or as unfortunate under privileged individuals that would accept to work under any condition for those engaged in the exploitative labour in the quarries, farms and plantations under slave like conditions.
West Africa and indeed Nigeria was generally in denial of the existence of Trafficking in Human beings in her territory until the late 1990s when it became apparent due to awareness raising by some non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) notably among them was WOTCLEF (Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation). At international level, Nigeria became active in the multilateral negotiation and adoption of trafficking in persons protocols supplementing the UN convention against transnational organized crime. Nigeria therefore signed and ratified the convention as well as its supplementing protocols in 2000 respectively (Palermo Protocol) (Egede, 2015).By 1990s the large number of emigrants (victims of human trafficking from Nigeria and other African countries and Asia) roaming the streets of some European countries were considerable. Nigeria was listed among the African countries with the highest number of women trafficked to Europe for commercial sex business.
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings mainly for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labour. It is the movement of men, women and children from one place to another through force, coercion or deception into situations of their economic and sexual exploitation. The UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children known as the “Palermo Protocol” adopted in November 2000 defines trafficking “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or service, slavery or practice similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organ” (Naik, 2018)
Human trafficking is a crime with low risk and very high profits and it violates the basic human rights of victims. It is a complex and difficult issue to tackle. The magnitude and extent of human trafficking in Nigeria was under estimated until recently when publications were made in electronic and print media. So many factors have encouraged this menace in our society. Internal trafficking was fuelled by urbanization and economic crises. Families in rural areas gave out their children to more fortunate members of their families to take to cities.
Over time, the desperation and ignorance of these rural families were exploited by the urban settlers. In the last two decades there has been an increase in the internal trafficking of Nigerian women and children especially from rural communities to cities. Trafficking to cities is predominantly for exploitative domestic work, farm labour and prostitution. International trafficking from Nigeria comes from all parts of the country, but some States tend to provide more trafficked persons than others. The war against trafficking in persons in Nigeria is by no means an easy one. Several measures have been employed in ensuring that trafficking is brought to a halt in Nigeria (Kigbu, 2015). It is against this backdrop that this research is embarked upon to evaluate the efforts of Nigerian government in checkmating human trafficking in Nigeria.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Although human trafficking has become a global problem, nevertheless, African countries serve as major sources of trafficked persons. In the West African sub-region, the phenomenon of trafficking in persons is widespread and Nigeria occupies a central position as a country of origin, transit and destination for victims of trafficking. There is also evidence of internal trafficking from rural zones to cities (Chuo-Ku, 2015).
According to the report which the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) presented to the Conference of African Ministers in Benin Republic in 2004, human trafficking is prominent in 53 African countries. The report revealed that 89 percent of the 53 nations involved had been trafficking human beings to and from neighboring countries, but an appreciable volume of the traffic flows to Europe. The African children were said to be “the biggest victims of the complex phenomenon, and are twice as likely to be trafficked as women”. Some are engaged as child soldiers in war-torn African countries, while many others work as domestic servants, farm labourers or sold into prostitution. Awake (June 22, 2002) observed that most ‘modern-day slaves’ are often women and children (Njoku, 2015).
With all the efforts of the Nigeria government, her agencies most especially NAPTIP and the collaboration of the international communities in curbing human trafficking activities across the global, it is estimated that yearly between 21 million persons are victims of trafficking globally and most of the victims whom are trafficked for the purpose of work opportunities have ended up in commercial sexual services currently known as sex trafficking (Ikeora, 2017). However, trafficking from Nigeria from 2009 to 2019 is difficult to estimate, it is a huge problem for authorities to evaluate the extent of trafficking in the country. Since 2003, the responses to trafficking in Nigeria has been more effective, foundational institution has been built to respond and support victims of trafficking but there have been several factors deterring their efforts in curbing the global crime of human trafficking such as poverty, illiteracy and ignorance, corruption and bad government among others. Therefore, this research focuses on the various methods and activities talking by the Nigerian government in order to curb or checkmate human trafficking in Nigeria.
1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Study
The general aim of the study is to examine the efforts of Nigerian government in checkmating and eradicating human trafficking in Nigeria. The specific objectives are to;
- Examine the causes of human trafficking in Nigeria,
- Highlight the efforts of Nigerian government in checkmating and eradicating human trafficking in Nigeria,
- Assess the effect of Human Trafficking to socio-economic development in Nigeria.
- Enumerate the challenges facing the Nigerian government in eradicating human trafficking in Nigeria,
1.4 Research Questions
In order to achieve the above objectives, this study seeks to proffer answers to the following questions:
- What are the motivating factors for human trafficking in Nigeria?
- How has the government fared in the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria?
- How has the effects of human trafficking affect socio-economic development in Nigeria?
- Why has the problems of human trafficking persisted in spite of the government’s efforts?
1.5 Research Methodology
This study is primarily based on qualitative literature survey method. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data was content analyzed. The study found that globalization had a direct link to rising human trafficking in the country. The government should moderate the influence of globalization, in order to reduce the level of unemployment and poverty thereby discourage the craze for greener pastures. It facilitates in depth analysis of the issues related to human trafficking in Nigeria and the actions of the government in controlling to problem. Extensive review of the literature provided useful insight about the various factors that are responsible for the human trafficking in Nigeria. The present study is exclusively based on secondary data which has been collected from the various issues of annual reports, books, magazines, bulletins, other related documents and National Crime Record Bureau Reports. Information collecting from different sources was analyzed in a qualitative way for taking inference.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The soul of this research is to examine the efforts of Nigerian government on curbing human trafficking. Therefore, this research will add to the array of well written materials on human trafficking and Prostitution. It well shed more light to the achievement of the Nigerian government on the control of human trafficking through the various agencies established to oversee the social problem associated with it. It will also be relevant to scholars and students and the general public who are willing to research more on human trafficking in Nigeria.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The central focus of this study is on the efforts of Nigerian government on checkmating human trafficking. The research will examine the period from 2009 to 2019. The research will also focus on the activities of the government and her agencies as well as challenges they faced in the course of fulfilling their mandate.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
This study will be limited to 2019. This time has been chosen because new information unfolds everyday which this research may not be able to adequately capture.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Human trafficking: Human trafficking is defined as the subjection of victims to deceptive or coercive recruitment as well as forced labor exploitation. Alternatively, such people are trafficked victims of forced labor.
Sex trafficking: Sex trafficking is commercial sex act that is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age.
Labor trafficking: The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
