It is heart-warming that the Federal Government is extending the whistle-blowing policy to human trafficking. This move will go down as one of the boldest initiatives against the illicit trade in human beings in the country. Nigeria is known as both a transit and a destination country for human trade in Africa. Government’s action is sequel to a recent request by the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Ms. Julie Okah-Donli. According to her letter which the government has given prompt approval through the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, it has become expedient to encourage people to report cases of trafficking in persons and provide verifiable information on assets of traffickers to the agency without fear of reprisals.
The Office of the Attorney-General explained in the letter of approval that government endorsed the request as part of its whistle-blowing policy because it was not in conflict with any extant law. The approval letter read in part: “with the latest development, anybody can now give verifiable information on any case of human trafficking, including assets of human traffickers for possible confiscation throughout legal proceedings to NAPTIP.”
The Attorney-General’s approval letter did not give further details on whether the same reward given to whistleblowers on stolen funds would apply to informants on human traffickers. However, the NAPTIP boss says the agency is still working out the modalities to reward informants. She cautioned that people should not use the policy for vendetta as such action will attract its own stringent punishment.
Extending the whistleblower policy which has worked well in the war against corruption to human trafficking is a step in the right direction. For many years now, Nigeria has been the hub of trafficking in women and children across the West African sub-region and Europe. Such women and children are reportedly largely recruited from rural areas, while some are from the cities.
According to Global Slavery Index, about 875,500 humans are trafficked every year in Nigeria, and about 45.8 million people from about 165 countries surveyed in the report. The report says that this high rate is made possible because of the trafficking syndicates which thrive in collaboration with corrupt persons in the agencies entrusted with law enforcement and protection of persons across the world.
In Nigeria, the 2003 Trafficking in Persons Law Enforcement and Administration Act (as amended in 2005) was designed to check the nefarious trade. It seems not to have yielded the desired results in spite of its penalties. The law prohibits all forms of human trafficking. It prescribes penalties of five years imprisonment and/or a $670 fine for labour trafficking; ten years imprisonment for trafficking of children for forced labour, begging or hawking; and ten years or life imprisonment for sex trafficking. The law has not been strictly enforced.
Also, the 2003 Child Rights Act criminalises child trafficking, though only 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory have embraced it. According to the Constitution, laws pertaining to children’s rights fall under states’ purview. Therefore, we advise that the Child Rights Act be adopted and implemented all over the country without further delay. In addition, government at all levels should initiate policies that will reduce poverty, create jobs and a conducive environment in which vulnerable people can pursue legitimate activities and resist entrapment by human trafficking merchants.
It is good that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently proposed three perspectives of prevention, provision and protection as part of the way forward in the battle against human trafficking. Assistance is also required from governments and organisations outside the West African sub-region. Let NAPTIP see the endorsement of its request as a test of its commitment and determination to contain human trafficking in Nigeria. It should realise that Nigeria’s image is at stake.
We, therefore, advise the leadership of the agency to collaborate with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), schools and security agencies to make the best use of this approval.
