By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the rising incidence of human trafficking in Nigeria, mandating its Committees on Human Rights, Interior and Police Affairs to probe the activities of trafficking syndicates and assess the effectiveness of existing measures to combat the crime.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Rep. Dominic Okafor, titled, “Need to Investigate the Alarming Increase in Human Trafficking in Nigeria”, at Wednesday’s plenary.

The lawmakers expressed concern over the growing threat posed by human trafficking, particularly to women, children and other vulnerable groups.

The House noted that human trafficking remained 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.

It observed that victims were increasingly subjected to commercial sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic servitude, forced begging, organ harvesting and other forms of degrading abuse.

The lawmakers attributed the growing vulnerability of Nigerians to trafficking to poverty, unemployment, insecurity, displacement, irregular migration and the activities of organised criminal networks.

They further noted that many victims were lured through false promises of employment, education, marriage and opportunities abroad, only to end up in exploitative conditions characterised by physical abuse, psychological trauma and, in some cases, death.

The House also expressed concern that trafficking networks operated across state and international borders, exploiting porous borders, inadequate public awareness, weak coordination among relevant agencies and difficulties in identifying and prosecuting offenders.

While acknowledging 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, the lawmakers stressed the need to strengthen their operational capacity, funding, intelligence-sharing and victim-support mechanisms.

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

Consequently, the lawmakers urged the Federal Government to intensify nationwide efforts to combat human trafficking through effective enforcement of existing laws, intelligence-led investigations and prosecution of traffickers and their collaborators.

They also called for improved victim identification, rescue, rehabilitation, psychosocial support, legal assistance and reintegration programmes, particularly for women, children and other vulnerable persons.

The House further urged the government to address the underlying factors exposing Nigerians to trafficking, including poverty, unemployment, limited access to education and the exploitation of displaced persons.

NAPTIP and other security and law enforcement agencies were also urged to strengthen surveillance, intelligence-sharing and coordinated operations against trafficking networks, particularly those operating across state and international borders.

The lawmakers called on the Federal Ministry of Education, relevant state ministries, local government authorities, civil society organisations and community leaders to intensify public enlightenment campaigns on traffickers’ tactics and the dangers of deceptive recruitment and irregular migration.

The House subsequently mandated its Committees on Human Rights, Interior and Police Affairs to investigate the scale and patterns of human trafficking in Nigeria, examine the activities of trafficking syndicates and assess the adequacy of existing enforcement measures.

The committees are also expected to identify challenges confronting agencies responsible for combating the crime and report their findings to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.

Reps to probe rising human trafficking, trafficking networks

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