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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has raised the alarm over the ever-evolving dangerous tactics of human traffickers and their criminal activities in Nigeria and beyond.
NAPTIP Director General, Binta Adamu Bello,raised the alarm at the 28th National Stakeholders Consultative Forum and Summit on Human Trafficking in Abuja , yesterday.
The NAPTIP boss disclosed that human traffickers now masquerade as international employers or academic recruiters, enticing young people from Nigeria with promises of lucrative employment or fully-funded education abroad especially under the “japa syndrome”.
“And upon arrival in foreign countries, victims are stripped of their freedoms and subjected to forced labour or sexual exploitation. These deceptive tactics not only exploit the ambition and dreams of our youths but also undermine legitimate labour migration and international academic exchange,” she said.
She noted that another rising pattern is the recruitment of young people, particularly from Nigeria and Ghana, into cybercrime syndicates under the guise of employment. “Victims are trafficked into so-called “Yahoo-Yahoo” operations, where they are forced to carry out online scams under threats and coercion.
“Furthermore, the menace of baby factories persists in parts of the country. These are perpetrated by illegal maternity homes where women and girls are confined, impregnated, and forced to give birth, with the babies then sold illegally. Also, some victims are deceptively recruited as marketing agents, lured with the promise of selling branded products, but eventually subjected to exploitative conditions or sexual abuse,” she added.
She also noted the disturbing trend of loan-for-sex trafficking schemes, where unsuspecting women are deceived through fraudulent online loan offers. “These women, often in desperate need of financial assistance, are trapped in cycles of exploitation when they are coerced into prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation under the pretext of repaying these non-existent debts. This method preys on economic vulnerability and is facilitated largely through unregulated digital platforms,” she said.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, in his keynote address said the 28th Forum with the theme “human trafficking is an organised crime, end the exploitation” represents another critical milestone in Nigeria’s concerted efforts to combat human trafficking.
Represented by Victoria Ojogbane, the AGF commended NAPTIP for driving important human trafficking initiatives with diligence and commitment.
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He appreciated the operational milestones recorded by the Agency from inception to date, with 25,642 victims rescued, of whom 73.8% are females and 48.1% children; arrest of 11,406 suspected traffickers, and 750 convictions comprising 469 males and 281 females.
“These strides are worth celebrating, considering the intricacies involved in obtaining a single conviction, in a highly sensitive and clandestine crime such as human trafficking,” he said.
The AGF noted that human trafficking is an organized crime and transnational in nature as it is planned; carried out by groups in a structured manner. “It is a deeply coordinated criminal enterprise, and the primary goal of the perpetrators is economic gain from the exploitation of others irrespective of whom the victim is.
“Human Traffickers attempt to insulate both their leadership and membership from detection, sanction, and/or prosecution through their organizational structure. This crime can be local, national, or transnational and constitute threats to persons and their families, communities, and nations.
“It is affecting our national security negatively as Nigeria is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking. As an organised criminal activity with high profit and low risks, human trafficking is highly sophisticated, profit-driven with annual profit of over $245bn according to the ILO official report of 2023.
“A breakdown of this indicates US$169.9bn for sexual exploitation; and US75.9bn from forced labour in the private sector, including domestic servitude,” he said.
The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, said that EU is a strong partner in the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria and across Africa.
He announced the donation of 6million euros to the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria, challenging all stakeholders to support the efforts to that, collectively, the goal will be achieved.
In their different goodwill messages, local and international partners, notably, NDLEA, NACTAL, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), International Organization for Migration (IOM), International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), FIAAP and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and several others renewed their support and commitment to the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria and beyond.
