NIGERIA: Country Presentation on Child Trafficking

1. NIGERIA: Country Presentation on Child Trafficking M. Babandede Head, Investigation & Monitoring. NAPTIP, Nigeria

2. CRITICAL POINTS FOR DISCUSSION • NIGERIA – COUNTRY STATUS • NIGERIAN EFFORTS • CHALLANGES

3. NIGERIA – COUNTRY STATUS • A1. Background • A2. TIP Status

4. NIGERIA Population - Above 124 million Size - 923,768.64 sq. km States - 36 + Fed. Capital Territory LGA - 774

5. A1. Background • Huge size with over 250 ethnic groups • Characterized with constant ethnic and religious conflicts • Over 16years of military dictatorship - characterized by corruption, mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy • With overdependence on oil revenue at the detriment of other sectors • HIV/AIDS Prevalence - 5.0% (2003 est.)

6. A2. TIP Status • Country of origin, transit and destination • with clients, recruiters & intermediaries • Nigeria on the U.S. ‘2-Tier Watch list’ • Thousands of Nigerian girls work Italian sex industry. Many are found in Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, U.K., Saudi Arabia, Libya and Morocco

7. Nigeria: ILO Report Over 124m 64m children 19% of children work in dangerous environment after school hours 40% of street children are trafficked at national and international levels 8million Nigerian children engaged in exploitative child labour

8. Nigeria - within the sub-region

9. End use of Victims • Domestic servants • Bus conductors • Street trading • Agricultural works/Brass melting • Prostitution in brothels/restaurant • Stone digging/Construction • Scavenging • Head loaders • Drug peddling, crime and youth violence

10. Recent Findings • Trafficking -not always seasonal, but most of the girls and madams return home at Christmas to take more girls • Ratio between girls and boys trafficked is 7:3, while 50% of victims are children below 18 • Women and girls are mostly trafficked for sexual exploitation abroad

11. Recent Findings continued • Children trafficked for forced labour to Gabon are surprisingly from two oil rich States in the south • Children trafficked to Saudi Arabia for begging, domestic help and sexual exploitation are predominantly from some States in the north • The Deaf & Dumb operate a trafficking ring. • Over 50% of the returnees are between 18-24years.

12. Recent Findings • In order of prevalence, top returnee countries are Italy, Spain, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, The Netherlands, Libya, U.K, South Africa, Mali and Benin Republic • Internal trafficking - increasingly feeding the external trafficking due to • the high demand for child workers at the household level, agricultural, construction, quarries and brass melting mostly in the informal sector.

13. Recent Findings • Security of traffickers/victims guarantee through the voodoo men • Cameroonians use Nigeria as transit country to be trafficked to Algeria via Niger • Togolese & Beniniose uses Nigeria as a transit country to Gabon

14. Statistical analysis of Rehabilitated victims in year ending2004 by NAPTIP • NAPTIP 3, Trading = 1, Sec. Sch..= 1, Employed by NAPTIP= 1 • WOTCLEF 5, in Pry School. • IOM 5, Established Provision Stores = 4, Sec. Sch. =1 • ALNIMA 5 Training in hairdressing • FAMILY RE-UNION = 14 • AWAITING REHABILITATION = 20 TOTAL NO OF VICTIMS = 52

18. B. INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS • NAPTIP has National Investigation Task Force (NITF) comprising Police, Immigration and others established. – investigate, arrest, rescue and gather intelligence • NPF has Anti – Human Trafficking Unit headed by an Ast. Commissioner – has branches in 12 States • NIS has Anti – Human Trafficking Unit headed by a Comptroller of Immigration Service with branches in 13 border States

19. Investigation • 42 reported cases in 2004 • 27 suspects interrogated • 8 arraigned in Courts (Benin City, Auchi, Uromi, Kano, Ilaro and Ibadan) • One conviction on 19th November 2004 (Sarah Okoye sentenced 3 years)

20. A CONVICTED HUMAN TRAFFICKER.

21. Investigations and prosecutions. cont… • This year the NITF is investigating six reported cases involving eight traffickers . One of the suspects being investigated was arrested while trying to collect a parcel containing nude pictures of about 14 girls already trafficked to Spain for prostitution. Other contents of the parcel include shaved pubic hairs, used menstrual pads with menstrual smears, cut finger nails, as well as copies of the terms of engagement of the respective girls and their masters (Madame).

22. Investigations and prosecutions. cont… • Ongoing investigation of a deaf and dumb man who runs a ring of deaf and dumb kidnappers throughout the country. The mode of operation used by the man and his gang is to send his men to fish out deaf and dumb victims to be used as street beggars. Investigation is at an advanced stage and he would soon be appearing in court.

23. INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS. CONT… • The successful raiding of 2 Juju shrines in Edo State and their spiritual leaders arrested. In the successful raids, several photos of trafficked victims, charms, records of clients and even photographs of European. • The Agency has helped in the rescue of over 69 Beninioise children trafficked to Abeokuta in Ogun State, Nigeria and working in stone quarries. The children were recovered and have since been reunited with their families in Benin Republic.

24. A Charm found in Voodoo Shrine

25. A European Photo found in the shrine

26. Voodoo Man arrested by NAPTIP

27. Rescue Missions • In 2005 alone, the NITF has intercepted 4 teams of travelers across the Desert • Saved 5 Children from abuse & exploitation

28. Victim of abuse

29. Another victim of abuse

30. THE NATIONAL MONITORING CENTRE • Donated by the Italian Govt. • Capable of keeping picture, voice & other data of both suspects & victims

31. NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE FORUM • Quarterly meeting with all Stakeholders • Members consist of GO, NGOs & CBOs • Serve as Advisory body and Harmonization centre

32. REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION • On going Bilateral negotiations by NAPTIP with other corresponding agencies through their embassies in Nigeria, of countries where the trafficking in persons constitute transnational crimes which cannot be prosecuted without the co-operation of other countries, particularly the neighboring transit and source countries as well as destination countries. This is aimed at developing a joint investigation and information sharing mechanism in dealing with trafficking in persons cases.

33. REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION • The negotiation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in May 2004, by NAPTIP on a joint border patrol, investigation and process of identifying victims of human trafficking, with Benin Republic. Though the MOU is yet to be signed, the various parties have been working along the agreed terms. Similar understanding is in the offing with the Republic of Niger, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Chad Republic and Togo. We presently have an operational MOU with Italy and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in that regard. Spain, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia are collaborating actively with the Agency in the areas of information sharing and prosecution. • MOU with Italian Govt.

34. PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT • After commencing operations effectively in February, 2004, the Agency immediately embarked on an education and sensitization tour of eleven human trafficking endemic states of the southern part of the country. The tour was sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau for International Narcotic and Law Enforcement Affairs through the UNICEF country office.

35. PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT • The Agency, through the project , was able to take the campaign against trafficking in persons to the grassroots and rallied the support of the traditional rulers, security chiefs, faith based groups, market women, government officials and people in position of authorities. These groups among others were educated on the establishment of the Agency with the specific mandate to fight the scourge of human trafficking as well as the ills associated with the illicit trade and the need to work in close collaboration with the Agency.

36. PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT Cont.. • The gains of the tour were the creation of the anti-child trafficking network and the education and sensitization of the populace at the state and local council levels of all the states visited. At the later part of the year, more states, particularly in the northern and eastern parts of the country were visited. • Recently, the Agency launched its anti human trafficking jingle on the national TV.

37. PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT Cont.. • This jingle is aired three times a day all through the week. Anti –human trafficking sensitization and educational materials in the form of hand bills, stickers, leaflet and articles are being produced and published to educate the public and canvas their support in the fight against human trafficking.

38. RESEARCH • Mr. President, the Agency commissioned a research study to identify the emerging trend in human trafficking, the reason's f or human trafficking and whether some areas of the country are more prone or vulnerable to human trafficking than others and if so why. • We have carried out Field Assessment Exercise in 11 States in the South under the ‘Anti-Child Trafficking Network Project’ donated by US Bureau for International Narcotic and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and UNICEF. The findings in this research work are revealing. UNICEF is printing copies for dissemination to our local and international partners.

39. Trafficking now on the national agenda due to support on research & advocacy Stakeholders coordinating mechanism established Laws and implementing & structures in place (NAPTIP) Achievements Agreements drawn with destination countries Arrest, investigation, prosecution/rehabilitation Establishment of shelters and Youth Resource Centres

40. CHALLENGES • Investigation & Intelligence too expensive • Judicial process is slow • Resources for reintegration scarce • Awareness for end users of victims law • Penalties for end users negligible • International cooperation remained on paper

41. THANK YOU