Volume 12 Issue 11 Version 1.

0 Year 2012
Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal
Publisher: Global Journals Inc. (USA)
Online ISSN: & Print ISSN:

Abstract – This paper examined the implications of Human Trafficking for Human Rights in
Nigeria. The phenomenon of human trafficking has taken an alarming dimension in Nigeria, such
that it had become a big illegal criminal business. Human trafficking is now a daily occurrence in
Edo and Delta States of Nigeria. Also, the spread of human trafficking to other States of the
country is believed to be the fallout of massive unemployment and high level of poverty. Human
trafficking is a major National problem for been a threat to fundamental human rights of the
Nigerian citizenry. For an already crestfallen nation the added burden of crime of human
trafficking which are infringements on the fundamental human rights of Nigeria, now transcend
subliminal trauma. For most parents in Nigeria, the fear of sudden disappearances of their sons,
daughters and wards of being trafficker victims are real and palpable. This paper examined the
nature of human trafficking, how does it affect the human rights of Nigerians, and how to manage
it with a view of preserving human rights in Nigeria. It was discovered that human trafficking is a
crime against humanity. Recommendations were made on how it could be managed in order not
to infringe on fundamental human rights of Nigerians.
Keywords : Trafficking, Human trafficking, Human rights, Child labour, Sex trafficking, Forced
labour, Child, Bonded labour.
GJHSS - A Classification : FOR Code : 160507,160509,160512

Implications of Human Trafficking for Human Rights The Case of Nigeria

Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of:

© 2012. Samuel Olushola Ajagun. This is a research/review paper, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), permitting all non-commercial
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 Implications of Human Trafficking for Human
Rights: The Case of Nigeria
Samuel Olushola Ajagun

Abstract - This paper examined the implications of Human credence by both historical and contemporaneous
Trafficking for Human Rights in Nigeria. The phenomenon of evidence. For instance, at independence in 1960 and
human trafficking has taken an alarming dimension in Nigeria,

Year 2012
shortly afterwards, and especially with the ascendancy
such that it had become a big illegal criminal business.
of oil as the dominant source of state revenue, Nigeria
Human trafficking is now a daily occurrence in Edo and Delta
was blessed with the requisite human and material
States of Nigeria. Also, the spread of human trafficking to
other States of the country is believed to be the fallout of resources to ensure its development. Unfortunately, the
massive unemployment and high level of poverty. Human dynamic of the country’s history has imposed on it a
trafficking is a major National problem for been a threat to succession of leaders who ruled in such a way that 29
fundamental human rights of the Nigerian citizenry. For an sharply contradicts “good governance”
already crestfallen nation the added burden of crime of human It is pertinent to know that, our past and present

A ) Volume XII Issue XI Version I

trafficking which are infringements on the fundamental human leaders failed the nation. Bad governance in Nigeria
rights of Nigeria, now transcend subliminal trauma. For most has resulted to a high of corruption, lack of
parents in Nigeria, the fear of sudden disappearances of their
transparency, lack of accountability, total disregards to
sons, daughters and wards of being trafficker victims are real
and palpable. This paper examined the nature of human
laws of the land, lack of respect for human lives. The
trafficking, how does it affect the human rights of Nigerians, negatives trends have had and continue to have
and how to manage it with a view of preserving human rights system-wide effects in Nigeria, which ported uncertainly
in Nigeria. It was discovered that human trafficking is a crime in the provision of these basic needs to the citizenry.
against humanity. Recommendations were made on how it The citizens’ perception of their benefit in the social
could be managed in order not to infringe on fundamental exchange between then and government begins to
human rights of Nigerians. wane and turn negative. They begins to loose faith and
Keywords: Trafficking, Human trafficking, Human rights, confidence in a government that constitutionally
Child labour, Sex trafficking, Forced labour, Child, promised the citizens “equality of right, obligations and

Global Journal of Human Social Science ( D

Bonded labour. opportunities before the law” and that “the security and
welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of the
Introduction government” without providing access able and
I. Background To The Study affordable health care and food, education, roads,
shelter, employment and poverty etc. In reaction to-
When Nigeria attained independence in 1960, these inclement conditions the people felt maligned and
there were very hopes of its potential for sustainable marginalized with consequent effects of being
development perhaps the hopes were based on a unpatriotic to the country.
robust, endowment of the nation, both in human and The question is: Are Nigerians justified for this
natural resources in the country. Unfortunately, evil and unpatriotic act? Yes, to those Nigerians without
contemporary evidence shows that these expectations conscience. The fact that high rate of unemployment
have not materialized even after decades the nation and poverty ravaging the lives of majority of Nigerians
independence one possible explanation is that the are not tenable reasons.
expectations become lost on alter of national economic
difficulties and series of political failures due to bad II. Human Trafficking In Nigeria
governance being experienced at the different levels of Human trafficking had become a major source
government (Oromareghake and Akpotor, 2007:310). of concern to all societies in recent time. Human
There seems to be agreement amongst both trafficking is often presented as a major social problem
academic and practitioners’ administrators that at the that is seen as undermining the morality of the societies.
center of all Nigeria’s problem is the problem of Also, human trafficking has put Nigeria on the
leadership (Bello-Imam and Robert, 1995:1-2). The map of the notorious. The problem has assumed
problem of bad governance resulting from poor wider dimensions not only to the individual traffickers
leadership in Nigeria comes to the force and its given but also to the country and societies at large. This
Author : Ph.D Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Administration problem of human trafficking among Nigerians has
Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Nigeria. called for a search of immediate solution as the
E- mail : [email protected] traffickers have destroyed the image of the nation

© 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)

 Implications of Human Trafficking for Human Rights: The Case of Nigeria

(Nigeria) among comity of nation. Human trafficking of opportunities in the Nigerian society and exploit
course leads to shade business which is a crime against vulnerabilities on those down trodden people (victims) in
humanity. the Nigerian society by deceit and lies. In-fact, most of
The problem of human trafficking is on the the victims are cajoled by promises of marriage,
increase and the street following the increase is employment, education, and or an overall better life, at
reverberating on the lives of the citizens, this therefore the end, the traffickers force the victims to become
prompt many people in the society to ask why these prostitutes or work in the sex industry as: prostitutes,
human trades? Why Nigerians export human cargo dancing in strip clubs, performing in pornographic films,
abused in Europe, and other West African countries? pornographic, and other forms of involuntary servitude
Why Nigerians participate heavily in export of human
cargo mostly the female (girl) as sex worker to Italy,
f) Sex Trafficking
Year 2012

Belgium, Spain and Togo, Benin Republic, Liberia, The victims caught in this web are those socially
Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, disadvantaged persons in the Nigerian society. The
Burkina-Faso, as well as extending its frontiers to victims (persons) who easily fall prey to the traffickers
Gabon, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea for monetary are the people in dire circumstance in the society. The
30
20
2 gains. easily targeted in individuals, circumstances, and
Nigeria has continued to defy solution. Recent situation vulnerable to traffickers include: the homeless
media reports tend to portray Nigeria as the major hub individual, runaway teenagers, displayed home makers,
Global Journal of Human Social Science ( AD ) Volume XII Issue WXI Version I

for the illicit human trade (trafficking). Daily busts at the refugees and drug addicts.
nation’s seaports, airports and borders give the In-fact, it has been observed that in the Nigeria
impression that human trafficking is an insolvable society the people that are most vulnerable are those
problem. Unfortunately, nothing has changed. This from poverty stricken home, powerless ethnic minorities
paper is intended to examine human trafficking nexus of with low socio-economic background. These are victims
crimes of abuse on human rights and thus, design that are consistently exploited in various communities,
possible therapeutic options to addressing this problem. villages, towns in Nigeria.
a) Objectives of the study g) Trafficking of Child
As a result of the increasing wave of human This is the recruitment, transportation, transfer,
trafficking in Nigeria, it has become very important to harbouring, or receipt of children for the purpose of
find out what is responsible for the crime. exploitation.
Other specific objectives are:
h) Child Labour
1. To find out the nature of Human trafficking in Nigeria Child labour is a form of work that is likely to be
2. To find out how does the human trafficking affects hazardous to the physically, mental, spiritual, moral, or
human rights in Nigeria social development of children which also can interfere
3. To find out how to manage human trafficking with a with their education.
view of preserving human rights
i) Bonded Labour (Debt bondage)
b) Conceptual Clasifications Human Trafficking Bonded labouur or debt bondage, is the least
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human known or debt bondage, is the least known form of
beings for the purpose of reproductive slavery, labour trafficking today, and yet it is the most widely
commercial sexual exploitation, forced labour, or a used method of enslaving people. Victims become
modern-day form of slavery. bonded labourers when their is demanded as a means
c) Child of repayment for a loan or service in which its terms and
conditions have not been defined or in which the value
Child shall mean any person under the eighteen
of the victims’ services as reasonably assessed is not
(18) years of age.
applied towards the liquidation of the debt. The value of
d) Forced Labour their work is greater than the original sum of money
Forced labour is a situation in which victims are “borrowed”
forced to work against their own will, under the threat of
violence or some other forms of punishment, their j) Trafficking
freedom is restricted and a degree of ownership is The word trafficking includes the word “traffic”,
exerted. In Nigeria, able-bodied and healthy men are which means transportation or travel.
victims of those who stand the risk of being trafficked for k) Human Rights
unskilled work.
Human rights are basically those rights that are
e) Traffickers inherent in the human being. The whole idea of human
Traffickers are also known as Pimps or rights acknowledges that every single human being is
Madams. The trafficker victims are those who lack entitled to enjoy these rights without distinction is torace,

© 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)

 Implications of Human Trafficking for Human Rights: The Case of Nigeria

colour, gender, language, religion, political affliction, debts or gain income, or they may be deceived
property or birth (Odion-Akhaine, 2004:36). concerning the prospects of training and a better life for
their children. They may sell their children for labour, sex
III. Literature Review trafficking or illegal adoptions. These adoption
processes legal and illegal, when abused can
The word “trafficking includes the word “traffic”
sometimes result in cases of trafficking of babies and
which means transportation or travel. Trafficking is a
pregnant women between the West and the developing
lucrative industry. It has been identified as the fastest
world(http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-
growing criminal industry in the world
technology/china ).
(http://www.wakepeopleup.com/pdfs/sex-trafficking-
In David M. Smolin’s paper on Child trafficking
slide5.pdfs). It is second only to drug trafficking as the
and adoption scandals between India and the United
most profitable illegal industry in the world

Year 2012
States, (Smolin, 2005), he (Smolin) presents the
(http://www.gfinterity.org/storage/gfip/documents/report
systematic vulnerabilities in the inter-country adoption
s/transcrime/gfi transnational crime web.pdf.). In 2004,
system that makes adoption scandals predictable.
the total annual revenue for trafficking in persons were
Thousand of children from Asia, African and South
estimated to be between USD$5billion and $9 billion
American are sold into the global sex trade every year.
(http://www.unece.org/press/pr/pr2004/04/gen n03e.htm) 31
Often they are kidnapped or orphaned, and sometimes
In 2005, Patrick Belser of International Labour they are actually sold by their own families (UNICEF,

A ) Volume XII Issue XI Version I

Organization (ILO) estimated a global annual profit of 2010). In the U.S. Department of Justices 07-08 study,
$31.6 (http://digitalcommons. ilr.cronell.edu/cgi/ viewco- more than 30 percent of the total number of trafficking
ntent.cgi?article ). In 2008, United Nations estimated cases in 2010 was children coerced into the sex industry
nearly 2.5million people from 127 different countries are (http://content.news14.com/human trafficking.pdf.)
being trafficked into 137 countries around the world
(http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=2552 IV. Nature of Human Trafficking In
4&Cr=trafficking&CrI) into forced labour which include: Nigeria
domestic servitudes; agricultural labour; sweatshop
factory labour; food service and other service industry I. Human trafficking does not require travel or
labour; janitorial; fuel (petrol) selling attendants (as transport from one location to another. According to
known in Nigeria) and begging etc which globally US Department of Justice Report in 2009, there
generates $31billion according to International Labour were 1,229 suspected human trafficking incidents in
Organization (ILO, 2005). the United States of America from January 2007

Global Journal of Human Social Science ( D

Human trafficking does not require travel or through September 2008. Of these, 83 percent were
transport from one location to another, but one form of sex trafficking cases, though only 9% of all cases
sex trafficking involves international agents and brokers could be confirmed as cases of human trafficking
who arrange travel and job placement for women from (http://content.news14.com/ human trafficking.pdf)
one country to another. According to a 2009 U.S. II. Sex trafficking involves international agents and-
Department of Justice report, there were 1,229 brokers who arranged travel and job placement for
suspected human trafficking incidents in the United women from Nigeria. In-fact, these women who are
State from 2007 to September 2008. Of these, 83 the victims are lured to accompany traffickers based
percent were sex trafficking cases, though only 9% of all on promises of lucrative opportunities unachievable
cases could be confirmed as examples of human in Nigeria. They fell as victims to these deceits
trafficking (http://content.news14.com/humantrafficking. because of high level of inflationary trends in the
pdf.) society, acute unemployment, and high poverty rate
Also, the International Labour Organization (ILO) in the country which majorities of Nigerians found
has estimated worldwide that there are 246 million themselves which the leaders both at the Federal
exploited children aged between 5 and 17 involved in and State levels had never been conscious enough
child labour (debt bondage), forced recruitment for to address the issue.
armed conflict, prostitution, phonograph, the illegal drug III. It is disheartening to know that once these women
trade, the illegal arms trade, and other illicit activities (victims) reached their destinations, the women
around the world. In 2010, it was reported that Thailand discover that they have been deceived and learn the
and Brazil were considered to have the worst child sex true nature of work that they will be expected to do.
trafficking records in the world (http:// www. libertadlati To some extent, many of the women were deceived
na.org/LA Brazils Child Prostitution Crisis.htm.). with lies regarding the financial arrangements and
Furthermore, trafficking in children often conditions of their employment, later to find
involves exploitation of the parents’ extreme poverty. themselves in coercive or abusive situation form
Parents may sell children to trafficker in-order to pay off which escape is both difficult and dangerous to
these women (Kara, 2009)

© 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)

 Implications of Human Trafficking for Human Rights: The Case of Nigeria

V. Human Rights are Inalienable Rights VI. Human Trafficking and Human
of All Peoples, With Particular Rights Violation in Nigeria
Reference to Nigeria a) Human Trafficking
It has been observed that the victims of human
Human rights are basically those rights that are
trafficking are not permitted to leave upon arrival at their
inherent in the human being. The whole idea of human
destination. They are held against their will through acts
rights acknowledges that every single human being is
of coercion and forced to work or provide, services to
entitled to enjoy these rights without distinction is to
the traffickers (pimps/madams) whose services may be
race, colour, gender, language, religion, political
by bonded, forced labour to commercialized sexual
affliction, property or birth.
Year 2012

exploitation.
According to Cass Sustain in the book The 2nd In addition, the arrangement may be structured
Bill of Right: The great speech of Franklin Delano as a work contract, but with no or low payment or on
Roosevelt on American’s pursuit of Freedom and the terms which are highly exploitative. Also, in some cases
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, civil and political the arrangement is structured as debt bondage, with the
32
20
2 rights is equal to the rights to food, housing, education, victim not being permitted or able to pay off the debt.
and social security. All the acts above are infringements to human
The places of human rights of an individual are rights of persons as spelt out in Nigeria Constitution of
Global Journal of Human Social Science ( AD ) Volume XII Issue WXI Version I

so important that they are recognized by all international 1999, chapter 4, section 30 which states that: every
laws. The obligation to protect and promote human Nigerian have the right to life which the traffickers
rights is usually contained in various paragraphs of the violates by the use of physical coercion that sometimes
UN charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights leads to death; persons rights to personal liberty which
(1948) and the various UN covenants on human rights. the traffickers deprived victims from enjoying through
Here in Africa, we have the Africa, we have the the forced labour and the rights to freedom of
African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which movement which are been deprived, except approved to
incidentally has been included as part of the local laws do so by their pimps/madams.
in Nigeria. The 1999 Constitution in chapter 4, section 30
specifically spelt out in various sections what these b) Sex trafficking
rights are, how to enjoy them, and how they can be In sexual trafficking, the pimps or madams uses
promoted and protected. physical coercion, deception and bondage incurred
through forced debt. Trafficked women and children, for
Human rights are concerned with the most
instance, are often promised work in the domestic or
immediate and basic needs of all human beings and
services industry, but instead are usually taken to
Nigerians are no exception. These rights are:
brothels where their passports and other identification
i. The right to life; papers are confiscated in Italy by the Nigerian pimps or
ii. The right to dignify the human person; madams.
iii. The right to personal liberty; More-so, the victims may be beaten or locked
iv. The right to fair hearing; up an promised their freedom only after earning through
v. The right to private and family life; prostitution – their purchase price, as well as their travel
and visa costs (http://web.archive.org/ web/ 200806262
vi. The right to freedom of thought, conscience, and
34542/http://www.prostitutie.nl/studie/documente.pdf)
religion;
That not enough, the victims are made to swear “Juju”
vii. The right to freedom of expression and the press;
(an African supernatural power) for failure to pay the
viii. The right to peaceful assembly and association; cost of traveling and visa smelt instant death in shrines.
ix. The to freedom of movement; and By these threats the rights to life have been violated by
x. The to right to freedom from discrimination and the traffickers.
right to property (FGN,1999). The above shows that the rights to life of these
women and children have been violated by threats to life
There is an obligation placed on the
with the use of ‘Juju’ (African mystical power) for failure
government of Nigeria by the law to act in a way that
to pay debts leads to death. Likewise, the traffickers
does not infringe on the Human Right of citizens. But we
used violence to infringe on the rights of women;
must state here that the law does not establish human
freedom of movement; rights to dignify the human
rights, human rights are founded on respect for dignity
persons; the rights to personal liberty; the rights to
of man; they are universal, they are inalienable (meaning
private and family life of the victims. In fact, it has been
that no one can take them away) and they are indivisible
observed that all these acts are breaches to the human
(the government cannot respect some and ignore
some) rights of the victim because their right has been
trampled on.

© 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)

 Implications of Human Trafficking for Human Rights: The Case of Nigeria

c) Child labour c) The UNDOC broadcast Human Trafficking

Child labour which is hazardous to the physical, announcements on local television and radio
mental, spiritual, moral, or social development of stations across the world, by providing regular
children in Nigeria can interfere with their education. access to information on human trafficking. Public
These are infringements to human rights of the Nigerian and individuals are educated on how to protect
children who are expected to acquire free and themselves and their families from the evils of
compulsory primary education at the expense of various human trafficking. Also, UNDOC has presented the
Federal/ State Governments in Nigeria. anti-trafficking policy index which measures the
d) Trafficking victims effectiveness of government policies to fight human
Trafficking victims from Nigeria are exposed to trafficking in 2009, Nigeria was ranked the 2nd best
nation with seven other countries – France, Norway,

Year 2012
psychological problems such as: social alienation both
in home and host countries, stigmatization, social South Korea, Croatia, Canada, Austria, Slovenia
exclusion, and intolerance to make reintegration into which shows Nigeria’s improvement in checking
their local communities difficult. The above are human trafficking (Agustin, 2009).
infringements to human rights of Nigerians which d) Nigeria governments made effort by making public
violates 1999 constitution, chapter 4 section 30 that: campaigns to fight human trafficking with a focus on 33
Nigerians must have the rights to freedom of thought, sex trafficking of children.
e) Governments establishing Skills Acquisition Centres

A ) Volume XII Issue XI Version I

conscience; rights to freedom of movement; rights to
freedom of expression; rights to property; rights to to rehabilitate victims of human trafficking in Edo
private and family life which the victims cannot enjoy and Delta States
both at homes and abroad. f) Nigeria governments received aids from
Child slavery is the sale of any person under the International bodies or organizations such as: the
age of 18 for monetary gains by the traffickers. This act United Nations Global Initiative (UNGIFT) who
violates 1999 constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, believed that the fight against human trafficking
chapter 4, section 30 which states that: every Nigerian cannot be fought by any government alone.
child has the right to life; right to freedom and access to g) The Global Initiative Co-ordinate assisted Nigeria
education. governments by increasing knowledge and
awareness, provide technical assistance, build
VII. Sanction for Child Rights Violation capacity for state and non-state stakeholders,
in Nigeria foster partnerships for joint action, and above all,

Global Journal of Human Social Science ( D

ensure that everybody takes responsibility for
a) Child labour attracts 5 years imprisonment;
human trafficking fight in Nigeria.
b) Child trafficking attracts 7-20 years imprisonment;
h) Both at national and state levels government
c) Child abuse attracts 10-14 years imprisonment;
d) Female circumcision attracts 6 months through the offices of wife of President and wives of
State governors embarked on various programmes
imprisonment; and
that aimed to mobilized state and non-state actors
e) Child exposure to drugs attracts life
to eradicate human trafficking by reducing both the
imprisonment (Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs,
2012). vulnerability of potential victims and the demand for
-
exploitation in all its forms, ensuring adequate
VIII. Measures To Check Human protection and support to those who fall victim, and
Trafficking In Nigeria supporting the efficient prosecution of the criminals
involved, to respect the fundamental human rights
Nigeria became one of the 117 countries of all persons in Nigeria.
signatories to the Trafficking Protocol that came into i) It has been observed that the UN. GIFT, UNODC
force on December 25, 2003 by United Nations at released data from global report on trafficking of
Palemo, Italy. The Protocol is to prevent, suppress and persons in 155 countries about National responses
punish “trafficking in persons, especially women and to trafficking in persons worldwide. This publication
children”. exercise has encouraged Nigeria governments to
a) In Nigeria public service announcements have know the number of Nigerians trafficked across the
proven useful for different governments and non- globe and the devastating effect it has on the
governmental organizations in combating human national image, this have geared up the fight
trafficking. against human trafficking.
b) In addition, the UN office on Drugs and Crime j) Furthermore, UNODC has launched a blue heart
(UNODC) has assisted many non-governmental campaign against human trafficking in March 6,
organizations in Nigeria in their fight against human 2009 which has affected all the 155 countries
trafficking. involved in human trafficking including Nigeria. The

© 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)

 Implications of Human Trafficking for Human Rights: The Case of Nigeria

campaign was a motivate action which encouraged References Références Referencias

people to show solidarity with human trafficking
1. Agustin, L. (2009). Sex at the Margin: Migration,
victims by wearing blue heart T-shirt.
Labour Market and the Rescue Industry. London:
k) In addition, on November 4, 2010, U.N. Secretary-
Zed. Books
General Ban Ki-moon launched the United Nations
Voluntary Trust Fund for victims of trafficking in 2. Bello-Imam, I.B. & Robert,I.O.N.(1995). Catchment
persons by providing humanitarian, legal and Areas University Governance in Nigeria:
financial aids to victims of human trafficking with the Implications for Development, Paper submitted to
aim of increasing the number of those rescued and the Annals of the Social Science Council of
supported, and broadening the extent of assistance Nigeria.
Year 2012

they received. 3. Edo State Government, (2011).Edo State Ministry of

l) Nigeria governments have introduced legislation Women Affairs and Social Development,
that was specifically aimed at making human Benin - City
trafficking illegal and prosecute offenders. 4. Cornell Univeristy ILR. “Forced Labour and Human
m) Nigeria governments have developed systems of Trafficking: Estimating the Profits” Accessed
34
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2 October 16, 2011. http://digitalcommons. ilr.cornell.
co-operation between different nations’ law
enforcement agencies and with non-governmental edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016
andcontext=forced labour.
A ) Volume XII Issue WXI Version I

organizations (NGOs) to tackle human trafficking.

n) Another actions taken by the governments are: 5. Federal Govt. of Nigeria, (1999).The Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Abuja: Federal
1. Raising awareness amongst potential victims in Government Press
the States (Edo and Delta) where human
6. Haken, J. “Transnational Crime in the Developing
traffickers are active World”. Global Financia Integrity. http://www.
2. Raising awareness among police, social welfare gfintegrity.org/storage/gfip/docusments/reports/tran
workers and immigration officers to equip them to scrime/gfi trannsnational crime web.pdf. Retrieved
deal appropriately with the problem November 20, 2011.
3. Creating awareness through the use of films or
7. I.LO. “A Global Alliance Against Forced Labour
through posters. Accessed 14-10-2011 “Characteristics of suspected
IX. Conclusion Human Trafficking Incidents 2007-2008” (PDF)
January 2009. http://content.news14.com/human
This paper has outlined the various ways of
Global Journal of Human Social Science ( D

trafficking.pdf. Retrieved 14-10-2011

human trafficking in Nigeria which has violated the 8. Melbourne: News.theage.com.au “The Age: China
human rights of the citizens. The paper also highlights set up website to recover trafficked
the various measures that can check this menace both children:report”http://news.theage.com.au/breaking
by international organization globally and locally by -news-techology/China-sets-up-website-to-recover-
Nigeria governments. trafficked-children-report-20091928-hjqw.html.
Accessed 28-7-2011
X. Recommendations 9. National Human Trafficking Resource Center
“Labour Trafficking Fact Sheet” National Human
Based on the foregoing, the following, Trafficking Resource Center “Labour trafficking fact
recommendations are proffered: sheet” http://www.racinedominicans.org/human
a. Nigeria governments should create enabling trafficking.cfm
environments for entrepreneurship for the citizens. 10. Oromarehgake, P. & Akpotor, J. (2007) Government
b. The legislations on human trafficking should be and Political Development in Nigeria: The Delta
made severe and drastic to offenders. State Case Under the Fourth Republic (1999-2005).
c. The governments should educate the citizens by In: A.S. Akpotor, A.O. Afolabi, M.O.
creating more awareness to the evils of human Aigbokhaevibolo, et al (eds) Cost Government in
trafficking in Nigeria. Nigeia: An Evaluative Analysis. Proceeding of
d. The governments should address the issue of National Conference published by Faculty of Social
massive unemployment and poverty in Nigeria Sciences, A.A.U. Ekpoma.
e. Human trafficking victims should be encouraged 11. Kara, S. (2009). “Sex trafficking: Inside the Business
and equipped with skills to enable them settled of Modern Slavery. Columbia: Columbia University
when deported back to Nigeria Press
f. Nigerians should not stigmatized human trafficking 12. Sextrafficking: http://www.wakepeopleup. com/pdfs/
victims in the society. sex-trafficking-slide 5.pdf

© 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)

 Implications of Human Trafficking for Human Rights: The Case of Nigeria

13. Smolin, D.M. (2005). “The Two Faces of Inter-

country Adoption: The Significance of the Indian
Adoption Scandals”. Seton Hall Law Review,
35:403-493.
14. The Age (2010). ‘Mother sold girl for sex’.
15. UNICEF (2010). “Child protection from violence,
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