The Continued Scourge of Human Trafficking in Nigeria: A Case for an Effective Law Enforcement

Abstract

In a globalized world that has left the world ‘a global village’, it is not unexpected that people move all over the world from rural to urban areas and from third world countries to developed countries. Some are fortunate to secure genuine employment to aid their migration, however many others are forced into jobs they have not chosen voluntarily. Nigeria is internationally known to be the origin, take-off point and destination of several victims of human trafficking around the world. Slavery was once known as ‘trading in humans’ and slave traders were often referred to as ‘man-thief’. Slavery has been abolished for over two centuries but it has morphed into another form: human trafficking or trafficking in persons. This has been attributed to a multiplicity of reasons like: lack of access to good employment and education, insecurity, lack of knowledge of human rights, debt bondage, poverty, and discrimination of minority groups. Men, women, and children from Nigeria are trafficked to the Middle East, Europe, Asia and other African countries. In turn, victims of human trafficking from neighbouring countries such as Niger, Togo, Chad, Mali, Cameroon, and others are trafficked in Nigeria for domestic servitude, farm work, prostitution, and stone quarrying. There is also the prevalence of domestic trafficking from rural areas to urban areas such as Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Calabar for domestic servitude, begging, farming, organ trafficking and sexual purposes. This article advocates for the strengthening of existing legislation and the enforcement of existing legislation to address the heinous problem of human trafficking in Nigeria