-
Launches revised data collection system
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has raised the alarm about 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 on Wednesday, July 30.
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”.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1718806029429-0’); });
“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.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince 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 Attorney General commended NAPTIP for driving important human trafficking initiatives with diligence and commitment.
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; the 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 organised crime and transnational in nature as it is planned and 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 who the victim is.
“Human traffickers attempt to insulate both their leadership and membership from detection, sanction, and prosecution through their organisational structure. This crime can be local, national, or transnational and constitutes 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 an annual profit of over $245 billion according to the ILO official report of 2023.
“A breakdown of this indicates US$169.9 billion for sexual exploitation and US$75.9 billion from forced labour in the private sector, including domestic servitude,” he said.
The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, said that the EU is a strong partner in the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria and across Africa.
He announced the donation of six million euros to the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria, challenging all stakeholders to support the efforts so that, collectively, the goal will be achieved.
In their various goodwill messages, local and international partners, notably NDLEA, NACTAL, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), FIIAPP, and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), among others, renewed their support and commitment to the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria and beyond.
The post NAPTIP exposes traffickers’ fake job, education scams appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
