U.S. Department of State 2006 Trafficking in Persons Report - Nigeria

Nigeria (Tier 2)

Nigeria is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation. Victims are trafficked for domestic servitude, street hawking, agricultural labor, and sexual exploitation. Within Nigeria, women and children are trafficked from rural areas to urban zones. Internationally, they are trafficked to the Central African Republic, Mali, Gabon, Sudan, North Africa, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Austria. Women and children are also trafficked to Nigeria from Togo, Benin, Chad, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Niger, and Ghana.

The Government of Nigeria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The government continued to strengthen and institutionalize Nigeria's response to human trafficking over the last year, showing substantial commitment to the issue. To strengthen its response to trafficking, the government should increase prosecutions and convictions of traffickers and strengthen protection efforts.

Prosecution

The Government of Nigeria demonstrated increased efforts to combat trafficking through law enforcement during the last year. In December 2005, the government amended its 2003 federal statute prohibiting trafficking to allow for forfeiture and seizure of traffickers' assets. The government investigated 85 trafficking cases, opened 21 prosecutions, and convicted six traffickers. Nigeria's 60 dedicated anti-trafficking investigators continued to actively investigate cases, though coordination between these investigators and other law enforcement officials was weak. In collaboration with UNICEF, the government has established an anti-child trafficking network covering 11 states, with additional expansion planned. Throughout the year, the government conducted trafficking training sessions for investigators and prosecutors and maintained a computerized trafficking crime database. There are regular reports of trafficking-related corruption. Authorities arrested a police officer for child trafficking and are investigating the case.

Protection

The government made modest efforts to protect trafficking victims over the reporting period. The government continued to operate two shelters and established a victim rehabilitation center, though these facilities operated below capacity. Authorities also referred victims to NGO shelters for assistance through an established screening and referral system. The government provided vocational skills training to 12 victims and helped eight victims return to school. Incidents of re-trafficking, however, remain high. The government amended its trafficking law to include Victim Trust Funds through which assets seized from traffickers will fund victim reintegration. The government in the last year began to educate Nigerian missions abroad about techniques for rescuing and counseling trafficking victims. Nigerian authorities cooperated with Beninese and Ghanaian officials to repatriate victims. Victims are not prosecuted for crimes directly related to being trafficked.

Prevention

The government continued to demonstrate strong efforts to educate the public about trafficking during the year. The Public Enlightenment Division of Nigeria's 200-employee National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) continued to broadcast anti-trafficking television spots and conduct awareness events in motor parks, markets, schools, and concert halls. NAPTIP also continued to host quarterly anti-trafficking stakeholder meetings. During these meetings, which were attended by government, NGO, and international organization representatives, NAPTIP shared data on government anti-trafficking efforts and worked with partners to develop anti-trafficking strategies.