Atika Balal
19 November 2007
Berlin — Annually, some 800,000 persons, made up mainly of women and children, are trafficked across national borders.
Recently, Edo state hosted journalists and experts for a two day anti human trafficking workshop organised by the National agency for the prohibition of traffic in persons (NAPTIP), where the role the media could play in combating trafficking in persons was discussed.
This city was possibly chosen as the venue for this workshop, because Edo state has been labelled as the most endemic state known for human trafficking.
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. Annually, about 600,000 to 800,000 people mostly women and children are trafficked across national borders, which does not count millions trafficked within their own countries.
In a few cases, physical force is used, and in other cases, false promises are made regarding job opportunities or marriages in foreign countries to entrap victims.
In general terms, human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat which deprives people of their rights and freedom. Not only is it a global health risk, it also fuels the growth of organized crime.
Human trafficking I must say has a devastating impact on individual victims, who often suffer physical and emotional abuse, rape, threats against self and family, and even death. The impact of human trafficking however goes beyond individual victims; it undermines the safety and security of all nations it touches.
The phenomenon of human trafficking in Nigeria has become multi dimensional and multi faceted to the extent that anybody could fall a victim and no one is safe. Besides prostitution, marriage, and forced labour, some of these victims are used for rituals, begging and even for organ transplantation or money laundering. While most trafficking into the commercial sex trade involves young adult women, minors including some children under 16 are also exploited. For example, recent research from Armenia notes a high demand for girls from the age of 15 in some of the Gulf States (the most common destination countries for those trafficked from Central Asia); where after this age girls are considered adults. The majority of customers for child sex in every country are local men, but the presence of foreign tourists, businessmen, and even peacekeeping forces has been cited as a contributory factor.
Surprisingly, even the solemn Muslim pilgrimage has been turned to an avenue for trafficking, by some unscrupulous persons. Hussaina Ibrahim and Idris Aminu were both charged for trafficking from Kano to Saudi Arabia, organizing illegal foreign travels and debt bondage. Their victims were promised good jobs in Saudi Arabia, but were later introduced to prostitution. Hussaina was sentenced to three years while Idris who worked with a traveling agency was sentenced to two years for being an aid to a trafficker.
Nigeria isn't the only country haunted with problems of human trafficking, neither are the effects of such acts suffered by Nigerians alone. Statistics show that every year, out of one to two million trafficked victims who are mostly women and children, but increasingly men and boys as well, a great percentage is taken to Italy while the few others are taken to the United States, Saudi Arabia, Macedonia and India. The most shocking revelation however is that over 40 percent of these victims are under the age of consent.
In Nigeria today, particularly Edo state, human trafficking has become the order of the day it has become an organised crime which has Lawyers, herbalists, corrupt Immigration and police officers all involved in the process.
Sometimes you realise that these traffickers are well connected in embassies in various countries, and could get their victims into trouble, if along the way they refuse to cooperate.
While lots of people blame poverty or culture as a basis for human trafficking in Nigeria, NAPTIP says other causes of the outrageous rate of human trafficking in the country are ignorance, desperation, and the promotion and commercialization of sex by the European Union (EU).
Speaking on the first day of the workshop, the director investigation and monitoring (NAPTIP) Alh. Muhammad Babandede, said that various factors influence child trafficking in Nigeria and the West African Sub-region but the singular and most important excuse and contributory feature however, include poverty and desperation.
According to him, in all countries concerned a large proportion of the population live below the poverty line. However, poverty alone does not explain the prevalence of child trafficking in Nigeria. Most people heavily involved in human trafficking do not necessarily have the most social indicator for poverty, nor possess the worst cases of poverty.
Thus, it is right to say that inadequate educational opportunity, lack of vocational and economic opportunities for the youth in rural areas, institutional lapses, greed and peer group influence among other things amount to desperation and are contributory factors.
Alhaji Babandede added that most victims of human trafficking are lured into believing that a greener pasture awaits them where they will be taken to. Ignorant as most of them are, they eagerly jump to the offer without confiding in anyone. This according to him can be avoided through sensitisation and enlightenment workshops.
"Traffickers prey on the ignorance, self worth and vulnerability of victims. They often promise their victims employment as hair dressers or sales girls, while others are told great jobs in offices and exquisite accommodation, await them on arrival.
A typical and natural counterweight to this is information and education resource. The special role of the media in education, information, and mobilization of the citizenry for development, strategically places them as a strong ally of the Agency."
The first trafficker who was jailed is 51 year old lady. She had procured some girls from Uromi in Edo state with a promise of securing jobs for them in Spain. She took them to Spain and introduced them into prostitution. However she was caught and sentenced to a 36 months jail term which she has served.
These days human trafficking in Nigeria has become an organised crime, Lawyers, herbalists, bankers, corrupt Immigration and police officers are all involved in the process.
"Trafficking in persons is often aided by official corruption in countries of origin, transit and destination, thereby threatening the rule of law; It is unfortunate that law enforcement agents in whom the populace place their trust do not make things easier. Sometimes, law enforcement officers become part of the syndicate."
A few years ago in Bosnia, Human Rights Watch found evidences of visa and immigration officials visiting brothels for free sexual services, in exchange for ignoring the doctored documents produced by traffickers to facilitate transport through the country. While some law enforcement agencies are major participants in the act of human trafficking, a great number of others aren't. In December 2003 for example, NAPTIP in conjunction with the Nigerian Immigration Service and UNICEF Nigeria repatriated a total number of 169 children who were engaged in exploitative activities in Nigeria back to the Republic of Benin.
On the 9th of March, 2005 police in Lagos stopped a refrigerated truck containing 64 children. The children were from Edati Local Government in Niger, Ebonyi, Edo States and Edu Local Govt. in Kwara State. They were apparently being taken to Lagos to work as house helps. Through the collaborative efforts of stake holders such as UNICEF, the French Embassy, Local NGO's and the government of the two affected states, NAPTIP successfully rehabilitated the children and reunited them with their families. The children were trained in vocational skills along with their parents while some others were enrolled in schools.
From its inception up till March 31st 2007, nine hundred and sixty-two (962) victims have passed through the Agency. One hundred and eighteen (118) of them have been rehabilitated, while five hundred and thirty-nine (539) victims are awaiting rehabilitation. Seven hundred and ten (710) of them are female victims and two hundred and fifty-two (252) of them are male victims. The age range of the 55% of the victims is between eighteen to twenty-eight years, 35% of them are between 1 day and seventeen years. The remaining 10% of them are above the age of twenty-eight years.
"We are happy to say that nineteen (19) out of the one hundred and eighteen (118) victims under rehabilitation, have been enrolled in various schools across the country. In addition, the statistics at the disposal of the agency reveal that 45% of the victims are infected with one form of sickness or the other. Presently, nine of them tested HIV positive while two of them suffer from psychiatric cases. In addition, 5% of the female victims were pregnant and some delivered their babies under the care of NAPTIP. As at December 2006, seven babies are under the care of NAPTIP."
Also speaking at the workshop, Head media and communication, (NAPTIP), Mr. Arinze Orakwue, spoke basically from the European Union (EU) point of view. According to Orakwue, the EU is a major promoter of human trafficking, mainly because in their countries commercial sex has been legalized, and since most girls who are trafficked to Europe are introduced to prostitution, it is only natural that they see prostitution as a normal means of lively hood.
"It is disgusting to think that those who indulge in commercial sex in these countries pay tax to the government. It has been made a normal business and the most annoying thing is that these girls who sleep with an average of 10 men in a day, mostly do not use the money for their personal use, rather they give it to their traffickers until they are able to buy their freedom."
Another painful thing according to Orakwue is that by the time these victims succeed in paying for their freedom, most of their traffickers end up selling them out to the authorities over there. They are picked up without any of their belongings or even a dime and deported to their countries.
"These victims are being used from the beginning to the end, once they are deported; their traffickers often end up automatically inheriting everything that belonged to them."
He adds that these days, even the boys are being used to promote commercial sex. Most of them are paid for playing a great role as pimps. An increased understanding of trafficking has exposed the underbelly of the sex industry: and the brutality and viciousness of many pimps and brothel owners.
However, in relation to child pornography and child prostitution which is fast becoming rampant, research has shown that these forms of sexual abuse are more widespread than previously thought. They are not the preserve of 'paedophiles' but may be linked to both sexual abuse in the family and to prostitute and pornography use more generally. Research has also shown an emergence of sex tourism routes within Europe, with a number of cities emerging as places where male and female minors are exploited. A recent report from Italy links sex tourism and trafficking through 'sex cruises' between the mainland and Sardinia and Elba. Most victims often find themselves in these cities and even if some of them attempt to run away they end up being caught or even killed by their traffickers.
Often, people complain that the victims do not press charges when they find out they have infact fallen victim to human trafficking, but Orakwue explains why the victims should not be blamed for refusing to press charges.
"The victim can in no way press charges without identification or proper and valid documents which they do not have; more so, these traffickers are well connected , they work with the corrupt immigration and sometimes the police, all they need do is make a phone call."
Research has shown that Non governmental organisations (NGO's) have played a crucial role in promoting the issue of sexual exploitation and in developing innovative responses. The NGO sector has focused on direct support for children, young people and Human beings in general. With Barnardos in the UK developing innovative work enabling girls to exit prostitution, Save the Children Norway continuing efforts against child pornography, a range of NGOs in the Balkans establishing shelters for victims of trafficking and NAPTIP in Nigeria.
Jane Osagie, Edo state coordinator of the International reproductive rights research action group said that sometimes parents of these victims are mainly to be blamed. According to her, despite all enlightenment campaigns, most of these parents force or pressurise their children to go abroad, they even encourage them to be trafficked.
She added that in some situations these parents give their children the impression that the NGO's that campaign against human trafficking, do not want to see them become something better in the future.
"We are not saying they should not travel, but if they have to they should do it legally; sometimes in the process of being trafficked, some of these kids die; parents should preserve their children so they would become worthy in this life."
Osagie added that parents must be enlightened that money isn't everything, and poverty isn't lunacy.
"We should not have value for money from just anywhere, rather than engage in trafficking or use our children to make money, let us learn to work hard and become something in future."
Osagie also appealed to the government to embark on infrastructural development to ensure that all citizens live a comfortable live.
"If our social amenities are properly looked into and everyone is comfortable, no one would think of leaving the country talk more of being trafficked."
She appealed to the victims to try to cooperate with Law enforcement agencies so that trafficking in persons will be combated.
"Our greatest challenges are the victims; some of them feel that their dreams have been shattered because they were rescued: and since they have been programmed by their traffickers to lie some of them never give the information you want to know."
For NAPTIP this is also one big challenge they often face but this does not stop them from doing their job effectively. They say:
In 2001Nigeria was categorized in tier 2 of the Trafficking in Persons Country List, compiled by the United States government and the Transparency International. This tier lists states that do not meet minimum standards of combating human trafficking but are recognized to be making efforts to do so. Other African countries in this category include Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon and Uganda.
There is no doubt that NAPTIP and other child trafficking agencies are doing a great job, but they can do better with the cooperation and dedication of law enforcement agencies and the Nigerian populace in general.
The trip to Edo State was sponsored by NAPTIP.
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