A legal professional and researcher, Bassey Kooffreh has urged the federal government to adopt a multi-faceted approach that addresses both the root causes and the immediate consequences of human trafficking.
Kooffreh stated that the multi-faceted approach will include measures to address poverty, inequality and social marginalisation as well as efforts to strengthen law enforcement, enhance victim support services, and to improve international cooperation, as there are solutions when implemented, which will reduce the causes of human trafficking.
He also urged the government to declare the month of July as ‘Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month’ in Nigeria.
This, he said, was to align with the global observance of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons to be held on July 30th as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/68/192.
The legal professional noted that this would help create a robust discourse on the scourge which is a crime against humanity, adding that the Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month in July would serve as a vital platform for education, advocacy, and action.
He noted that promoting a robust discourse on human trafficking and prevention was of paramount importance because “most Nigerians, particularly the internally displaced persons (IDPs), women and children, fall victim to human trafficking.
“They are deceived by false promises of a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a nightmare of exploitation, forced labor, sexual abuse, and unimaginable suffering.
“Many of these victims are trafficked within Nigeria’s borders, while others are smuggled across international boundaries, their hopes shattered in the pursuit of a mirage. Despite efforts to combat human trafficking, the problem persists, and its impact on individuals and communities cannot be overstated.”
Kooffreh’s research on human trafficking revealed that traffickers use various control methods such as debt bondage, threats, and exploitation of vulnerabilities to exploit victims in the sex trade, with recruitment often occurring through intimate relationships.
Additionally, his findings highlight that women aged 30 and above are less susceptible to sexual exploitation, shedding light on the demographics most vulnerable to human trafficking.