Reps To Probe Alarming Human Trafficking Rise

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the alarming increase in human trafficking in the country, urging the federal government to
intensify nationwide efforts to prevent and combat human trafficking.

The House said this should be done through enforcement of existing laws, intelligence-led investigations and effective prosecution of traffickers and their collaborators.

It also asked the federal government to strengthen victim identification, rescue, rehabilitation, psychosocial support, legal assistance and reintegration programmes, with particular attention to women, children and other vulnerable persons.

The Green Chamber equally urged the federal government to address the underlying causes of vulnerability to trafficking, including poverty,
unemployment, lack of access to education and the exploitation of displaced persons.

These resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of moved by the lawmaker representing the Aguata federal constituency of Anambra state,
Hon. Dominic Okafor at plenary on Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Okafor noted that human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights and dignity, involving the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons through force, coercion, deception, abuse of vulnerability or other prohibited means for the purpose of exploitation.

He also noted that human trafficking is a grave national and transnational crisis, with women, children, and vulnerable demographics disproportionately subjected to commercial sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic servitude, forced begging, organ harvesting and other degrading abuse.

The lawmaker expressed concern that poverty, unemployment, insecurity, displacement, irregular migration and the activities of organised criminal networks have increased the vulnerability of many Nigerians to traffickers who exploit their economic and social circumstances.

He also raised concerns that victims are often deceived with false promises of employment, education, marriage and overseas opportunities, only to be subjected to exploitation, physical abuse, psychological trauma and, in some cases, death.

Okafor expressed worry that: “human trafficking networks operate across state and national borders, taking advantage of porous borders, inadequate public awareness, weak coordination among relevant agencies and
difficulties in identifying and prosecuting offenders.”

He acknowledged the efforts of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Immigration Service and other relevant institutions in combating trafficking in persons.

The lawmaker emphasised the need to strengthen their operational capacity, funding, intelligence-sharing and victim-support mechanisms.

He recalled that the provisions of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, and other relevant laws aimed at preventing trafficking, prosecuting offenders and protecting victims.

Adopting the motion, the House urged NAPTIP and other relevant security and law-enforcement agencies to strengthen surveillance, intelligence-sharing and coordinated operations against trafficking networks, including those operating across state and international borders.

It further urged the Federal Ministry of Education, relevant state ministries, local government authorities, civil society organisations and community leaders to intensify public enlightenment
campaigns on the methods used by traffickers and the dangers of deceptive recruitment and irregular migration.

The House finally mandated its relevant committees to investigate the current scale and patterns of human trafficking in Nigeria, including the activities of trafficking syndicates, the adequacy of existing enforcement measures and the challenges confronting relevant agencies and report within four weeks for further legislative action.