Human trafficking in Nigeria – Facts
Millions of men, women and children in the world are victims of smugglers. People, like goods, are bought and sold for sexual exploitation or slave labor. This trade swept the entire world and turned into a profitable business. Human trafficking statistics in Nigeria is frightening. More and more terrible stories about people kidnapping and human trafficking shock the citizens of our country. We will tell you the latest facts and people stories.
Real human trafficking stories in Nigeria and the consequences
#1
The first story is about 29 years old human trafficker Serah Ekundayo Ezekiel. His story is about legal struggle, which beginned in 2011. He even tried to appeal but failed. This man delivered teen girls of 17-21 years from Lagos to Mali as prostitutes. He was brought to the Federal High Court in Lagos by NAPTIP. After many appeals and the dismiss, he was condemned and sentenced. Ezekiel was already behind bars for the same actual criminal act, so we can’t be sure that this time he will understand the lesson. Source: naptip.gov.ng
#2
The next story is about the thirty years old Eke Oguchukwu, who has been sentenced by the High Court in Johannesburg to twenty years of prison confinement for the kidnapping, constant raping, and sexual exploration of 15 years old girl. The victim was kept against her will at a brothel in Rossetenville and was forced to see in average six clients per night. This place in Johannesburg is a problem area, where sexual exploration can be met across-the-board, there are many alcoholics and drug abused. The abuse became a trauma for the entire life and victim’s mother fears for the life of her daughter, because many friends of the sentenced are still free and can revenge their friend. The National Prosecuting Authority considers this case as a reason for hope of the residents of the country for justice. Source: sabc.co.za
#3
The third our story is again about crime in Rosettenville. Fifteen children aged 13-16 (six boys and nine girls) were kidnapped from Fochville. The kidnapper enticed the children promising of sport training at his home. Fortunately, all kids were returned home safe and alive. Unfortunately, the person, who kidnapped the kids is still free. Source: sabc.co.za
#4
The next story is about foreigners from Lesotho and Swaziland. 72 trafficked people were held and worked at a factory in Newcastle (South Africa). These people were brought to Africa illegally and were explored at the factory. In this story appears five suspects. (the source: sabc.co.za)
#5
The last story takes place in Italy but concerns our citizens. Police of Italy captured a criminal gang, which packed migrants into vans and tried to cross with the France border. Forty migrants were padlocked in one van they were treated as cattle.
The statistics shows that in 2016 about 181,000 recorded illegal migrants reached Italy by boats. This is a usual practice as we have mentioned above. All migrants were searching for better life conditions and new opportunities. (the source: sabc.co.za)
Human trafficking will exist until there is demand. The whole world is struggling with it, our country is not an exception. Nobody is immune to human trafficking, hope that the stories we have told you will teach you a lesson, how not to become a victim and to protect the loved ones from kidnapping and trafficking. Do not forget to share this write-up with your friends.
According to the estimating of the Permanent Mission of the International Labor Organization (ILO), slave labor annually generates $150 billion of illegal income. 2/3 - $99 billion - comes from sexual exploitation.
The main question is, who are they, the people behind these figures?
Factors responsible for human trafficking
- Political (instability in a country);
- Economic (joblessness, pauperism);
- Social (domestic abuse, gender discrimination);
- Cultural (lack of exposure to info and education).
On the one hand, all these grounds have negative impact on people and they decide to look for a life of new bright perspectives elsewhere, on the other hand, rich and advanced countries search for extremely cheap labor and low-cost services. Criminal cartels understood how to make money on the problems in the country and became connectors between the supply & demand and learnt how to make huge profits on human trafficking, abuse and exploration.
Other universal factors for human trafficking are: corrupt practices of the officials, inconsistent penal policies, lack of control on the side of organs accountable for this etc.
Consequences of human trafficking
The victims of trafficking are exploited and abused, suffer from different infection contaminations and diseases (more often sexually transmitted diseases such as Hepatitis, Syphilis, and HIV), physical and psycho injuries, and even death. After the victims of human trafficking are revealed they can still have longtime depressions and psychological traumas, even after rehabilitation and social reintegration. Very often psychological damage stay for the whole life and it is difficult to call the “life after” normal.
READ ALSO: Human trafficking: FG evacuates 41 Nigerian girls from Mali, arrests 6 suspected traffickers (photos)
Human trafficking in Nigeria
Nigeria is the most suitable state for human trafficking. Everything begins form the criminal trader, who promises a life of higher level to his future "goods". Parents themselves persuade their blood and soul to sell themselves, and they readily agree because the seller promises an outstanding income, opportunity to receive education and other goods of civilization. It is far from case. Each year, more than 500,000 young women from Nigeria illegally go to brothels in Europe. The crossing to Europe is like a nightmare - illegal immigrants are transported on brittle boats to the shores of Spain and Italy. People, who could survive the road, faced unpleasant opening that they now have to trade their bodies on the street. Years in a row, the Government of Nigeria together with the church have opened few shelters for people who were too naive and became the victims of human trafficking.
Thousands of females, who became targets of human smugglers in West African countries, including Nigeria, are now in Europe.
UNODC estimates that West African victims of traffickers, mostly in Nigeria, account for almost ten percent of women who are forced into sex trade in Western Europe.
A major role in Nigeria's trafficking is played by the city of Benin City in southern Nigeria, where there is a branching network of trafficking.
There, traffickers of human commodity are looking for girls who are attracted by bright perspectives of work or education abroad. The victims are offered forget documents and are told that they are supposed to pay only for transit after they get to the destination country.
After this, young ladies are often coerced into various voodoo ritesto ensure their obedience.
One woman, who sold girls to slavery in Benin City in the past told how the smugglers took clothes from girls, a strand of hair from their heads, underarms hair, and then gave these materials to the shaman for the ceremony, which should guarantee a debt repayment.
READ ALSO: Human traffickers make $150b yearly - UN
Source: Legit.ng
