Monster
When you describe a monster that is both intangible and dangerous, but continues to ensnare victims based on nothing more than simple morbid curiosity or extreme financial and personal hardships, that would be human trafficking. To introduce you to this monster, read The Tide Online’s article: The Monster Called Human Trafficking.
Trafficking in person, also known as human trafficking is the modern practice of slavery which is the largest criminal industry in the world today.
In the past, Nigerians have been used to the term drug trafficking, but in recent times human trafficking has replaced the common prostitution.
Human trafficking has been portrayed as dehumanising. The rising incidence of this phenomenon is based on the fact that Nigerians have become too materialistic to the extent that much homage is being paid to the rich without asking how they accumulated their wealth.
Trafficking in children for economic reason is seen as one of the worst forms of child labour.
Indeed, victims of trafficking are not only forced into labour and sexual exploitation, but are also being tortured and humilitated.
Despite the effort of Government the world over and NGO’s to stop trafficking in persons the trend has continued unabated.
In most countries, traffickers operate with total impunity even in the most severe cases.
However, here in Nigeria, the number of victims of human trafficking is growing rapidly and this obviously, is affecting the socio-economic and cultural development of the country.
For instance, in the south east report indicate that there is the growing rate of kidnapping of girls who are later sold for between N15,000 to N20,000 to ready buyers as house helps.
There are also quite a number of rape cases reported as well.
Police authorities September last year disclosed the arrest of two people who offered to buy a six-year old girl for N600,000 in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
The disclosure followed the arrest of six people including a medical doctor alleged to be involved in the sale of children.
The doctor was also handed over to the Police for allegedly masterminding the birth of babies with the connivance of women who had unwanted pregnancies to NAPTIP.
It is a sad commentary to note that unregistered and illegal hospitals and maternity homes are springing up in the neighborehoods. These establishments go for young girls who are pregnant and helpless.
Such institutions reports, says, they shelter and take good care of them until delivery time and are made to sign out their babies before delivery.
These unfortunate girls are given a little token of about twenty to twenty-five thousand naira depending on the sex of the baby, for job well done.
In Nigeria, the major factor aiding and fueling the business of human trafficking could be explained in terms of lack of economic opportunities for youth.
When there is no job for these vibrant youths, they become vulnerable to unacceptable forms of behaviors. The danger that stare these victims in the face is the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
According to the head of national agency for the prohibition and trafficking in person and other related matter (NAPTIP) Kano State zone, Ahmed M. Bello at a recent workshop disclosed that over 60 percent of victims of trafficking repatriated to the country tested HIV positive.
The latest development is that the traffickers now engage in human organs trafficking, forecefully taking their victims organ like kidney for diabolical purposes.
This is an indication that victims are faced with many dangers across the globe. Human trafficking, no doubt has become the current social issue of the time and the startling revelation is frightening.
These crimes extend beyond the bounds of law and are an affront to human dignity and unless there is proper implementation of human trafficking and child labour laws, the effort to end the ugly trend would remain futile.
Irrespective of the fact that trafficking in persons has a direct consequence on the victim; it must also be viewed holistically from the standpoint of what the nation loses as an entity.
Therefore, the naton’s law should be built on the belief that every human life is precious. There is a special evil in the abuse and exploitation of the most innocent and vulnerable, as the victim see little of life before they see the very worst side of life.
Therefore, let all hands be on deck in the fight against the monster of human trafficking.
