AN APPRAISAL OF EXISTING LEGAL FRAMEWORK AIMED AT COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, harboring or receipt of persons by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, deception, or the abuse of power of a position, receiving of payment or benefits to achieve the consent of persons, for the purpose of exploitation. This paper dissects the existing legal frame works that provide for the prevention and protection of human trafficking. The paper observes that human trafficking is a global phenomenon that violates the right of the victims. Due, to globalization every continent of the world is involved in human trafficking, including a country as small as Iceland. The work further observes that 80% of those that are trafficked are women while over 50% are children. Apart from women and children research shows that pregnant mothers are trafficking for their new born. The work further reveals that trafficking is one of the fastest growing organized crime with an estimated 1.2 million victims. The study shows that human trafficking not only involves sex and labour, but people are also trafficked for organ harvesting. Furthermore, the paper discovers that apart from transporting their victims outside the border that human trafficking exist internally in Nigeria. Hence, children are transmitted from the rural areas to commercial cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja etcetera for domestic services and sexual exploitation. Furthermore, the work observes that human trafficking has serious health implications such as sexual transmitted diseases like HIV, psychological trauma, suicidal tendencies and death. Hence, despite international, regional and domestic, framework, human trafficking still thrive in Nigeria due to so many factors such as lapses in our laws, corruption ,poverty, lack of education et cetera. The work recommends that, legislations that provides for the protection against human trafficking should be reviewed particularly Chapter (11) 1999 Constitution (as amended) should be shifted to Chapter (iv) so that the girl child can enjoy the rights to education and health without inhibition. The government should beef up monitoring structures at the boarder and sack officials that aid in human trafficking. Also, every traditional and cultural practice that fuel trafficking should be jettisoned.