By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
An estimated number of people between 20 to 40 million are undergoing modern slavery annually across the globe, says Abdulganiyu Abubakar, the National President of Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL)
Abdulganiyu further decried that trafficking under whatever guise is a gross human rights violation. According to him, human trafficking is a global reality, a crime that deceitfully exploits people including women, girls, youths and children.
Giving his position in a press release to commemorate the European Nation's Anti -Trafficking Day, Abdulganiyu said any recruitment and or transporting of people into a situation of exploitation due to their vulnerability such as unemployment, homelessness, illiteracy among others, constitutes trafficking.
"Victims/Survivours of human trafficking are often faced with different forms of exploitation which include forced/child labour, forced marriage, prostitution and organ harvest'.
While noting that some criminally minded cartels sees trafficking as lucrative despite it's devastating effects on the victims, Abdulganiyu quoted a United Nations report on human trafficking as saying, "Human trafficking earns estimated profits of $150 billion annually for traffickers, with $99 billion from commercial sexual exploitation. Also, an estimated 71% of human trafficking are women and girls while men and boys account for 29%".
Bringing the scenario back home, Abdulhaniyu said there is no state in Nigeria that doesn't suffer the consequences. He added however that it is difficult to establish the prevalence of human trafficking in Nigeria due to dearth of data.
The NACTAL National President however said the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) had stated that seventy-five (75%) percent of those who are trafficked within Nigeria are trafficked across states, while 23% are trafficked within states. Only 2% of those trafficked, are trafficked outside the country".
Continuing, Andulganiyu said, "Nigeria is a source, transit, and destination state for women and children subjected to trafficking in persons including forced labour, sexual exploitation and forced prostitution.
"While trafficking affects every part of the state, reported cases show that women and girls are mostly trafficked within and outside Nigeria, particularly for involuntary domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, forced prostitution and street vending among others".
Looking at the factors giving rise to trafficking, Abdulganiyu listed poverty, youth employment, lack of educational and economic opportunities, displacement, and ignorance amongst others exposes thousands of women and girls to falling victims of traffickers who capitalize on their vulnerability to recruit, transfer and harbor them for the purpose of exploitation.
In his submission, Abdulganiyu appealed to stakeholders in Nigeria such as the religious leaders, traditional rulers, community influencers, opinion leaders, youth leaders, women groups, the organized private sector and other Civil Society Organization to support the efforts of government in ending human trafficking in the nation by empowering the poor and vulnerable families in their various localities. NNL.
