Italian Men Cannot Resist Edo Girls, Oshiomhole Recalls Ambassador’s Remark

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has recounted how an Italian ambassador allegedly told him that Italian men could not resist Edo women, during discussions on efforts to tackle human trafficking between Nigeria and Italy.

Oshiomhole made the disclosure during Tuesday’s Senate plenary while calling for a joint approach by the Nigerian and Italian governments to address both the demand for and supply of victims of human trafficking.

A video of the exchange surfaced online on Thursday.

The former Edo State governor said he had met with the Speaker of the Italian Parliament, who promised to provide technical assistance to Edo State to tackle the supply side of human trafficking.

However, Oshiomhole said he urged Italian authorities to address the demand side by discouraging their citizens from patronising trafficked women.

He said, “I know I met with the Speaker of the Italian Parliament, who said he was going to give Edo some technical assistance to deal with the issue of supply, and I told her that in history we don’t demand the supply.

“So the Italian government should do whatever they can to discourage their men or others, because these people didn’t go through Libya. They went through the Italian embassy.”

According to the senator, Edo and Akwa Ibom states could make progress in tackling human trafficking if destination countries also took responsibility for reducing demand.

“The law of economics is that without demand, there will be no supply, but when demand is strong, supply will find its way. So I think this really is a national problem,” he said.

Oshiomhole further recalled that when he asked the Italian ambassador to address the demand side of the problem, the ambassador allegedly responded, “Your Excellency, I’m sorry, Italian people cannot resist Edo girls.”

Reacting to the remark, Oshiomhole said the responsibility should not rest solely on Nigerian communities, insisting that Italian men needed reorientation.

“If they cannot resist, they need the reorientation. Let them deal with Italian people and not Edo people,” he said.

The senator added that he would only focus on tackling the supply side if there was evidence that efforts were also being made to address demand.

He warned against allowing Nigeria to be perceived internationally as a country complicit in human trafficking and called for action against organised groups abroad allegedly supporting the trafficking of Nigerian women.

During the debate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio asked Oshiomhole whether he had attempted to find out what Italian men found attractive about Edo women.

“Seriously, just for the benefit of my colleagues, did you try to find out what the Italians found in the Edo girls?” Akpabio asked.

Oshiomhole replied, “I couldn’t do that because I’m a Catholic and I’m happily married.”

Akpabio subsequently highlighted the need for tougher legal measures to combat kidnapping and related offences, recalling that he signed a law prescribing the death penalty for kidnapping while serving as governor of Akwa Ibom State.

He said the law also provided for the forfeiture and demolition of properties used in kidnapping, adding that such measures could deter offenders.

The Senate President called for stronger enforcement of existing laws and improved rehabilitation frameworks for trafficking victims returning to Nigeria.

He also highlighted the need to review relevant legislation, including the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, and the Child Rights Act, 2003.

The Senate subsequently adopted a recommendation to strengthen existing anti-trafficking laws through more effective enforcement and rehabilitation measures.