COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING

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GOVERNMENT AND INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS GEARED TOWARDS COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING

  1. Establishment of NAPTIP in year 2003.
  2. Government pledged in 2009 to annually fund the activities and operations of NAPTIP with over 7 million dollars.
  3. Government sustained efforts to raise awareness on human trafficking in both rural and urban areas by organizing workshops, seminars and conferences. Also by distributing manuals, textbooks, pamphlets, etc. printed in different languages on human trafficking and ways of preventing it.
  4. Enactment of trafficking law and administration Act in 2003 that was amended in 2005 to increase penalties and punishment for traffickers and to prohibit human trafficking in all form.
  5. Government together with international partners provide specialized training to officials of NAPTIP, Police, Custom and Immigration on how to recognize, investigate and prosecute human traffickers.
  6. The move towards enacting a law to directly address the challenge of Human Trafficking in Nigeria started with a private member bill sent to the National Assembly by WOTCLEF.

 

EVALUATION

Highlight the efforts of government in eradicating human trafficking

The Trafficking in Persons Law Enforcement and Administration Bill was passed by the National Assembly (House of Senate and House of Representative) on 7th July, 2003. President OlusegunObasanjo gave his assent to the bill on 14th July, 2003 to make it an act. This act was further amended in 2005.

 

The law prescribed a punishment of five (5) years imprisonment or a fine of 670 Dollars which is about #100,000 for labour trafficking. Ten (10) years to life imprisonment for sex trafficking. Ten (10) years imprisonment for trafficking of children for forced begging and hawking. The law also prescribed similar penalty for offences like rape.

 

The law empowers NAPTIP, police, immigration and custom officials to arrest human traffickers. Once arrested, human traffickers can be tried in court.

 

The Child Right Act was enacted in 2003 to make child trafficking a criminal offence. Nigeria constitution however placed child right issues under the jurisdiction of state government.

 

NATIONAL AGENCY FOR PROHIBITION OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES (NAPTIP) came into existence on the 26th August, 2003. This agency was established as a creation of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Law Enforcement and Administration Act of July 14th, 2003. The agency was established to address the problem of trafficking in persons in Nigeria. For NAPTIP to perform its functions effectively as the number one agency for prohibiting and prosecuting human trafficking in Nigeria, section 4 of the 2003 human trafficking in person prohibition law enforcement and administration act gave NAPTIP the power to perform the following functions:

  1. To coordinate all laws on trafficking in persons and other related offences.
  2. To adopt measures to increase the effectiveness of eradication of trafficking in persons.
  3. To adopt witness protection measures.
  4. To enhance effectiveness of law enforcement agents to suppress traffic in persons.
  5. To establish proper communication channels, conduct research and work on improving international cooperation in the suppression of traffic in person by land, sea and air.
  6. To supervise, control and coordinate the rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking.
  7. To investigate and prosecute human traffickers.

 

DEPARTMENTS OF NAPTIP

  1. Investigation unit.
  2. Prosecution unit.
  3. Counseling and rehabilitation unit.
  4. Public enlightenment unit.

 

  1. INVESTIGATION UNIT

This department receives intelligence information on human trafficking with a view to arrest and array them in court for prosecution.

 

  1. PROSECUTION UNIT

This is the department that takes over human traffickers that are detected and being arrested by the investigation unit of the agency. This unit carries out proper and detailed investigation on the trafficker.

 

  1. COUNSELLING AND REHABILITATION UNIT

This unit takes over victims of human trafficking by providing shelter, food and counseling for the victims in order to reintegrate them back to the society. It also help them to overcome their psychological and physiological problems.

 

  1. PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT

This department educates the public on the dangers and consequences of  human trafficking.

 

EVALUATION

  1. State the punishment awarded for people who engage in human trafficking.
  2. Highlight the various functions of NAPTIP.

 

GENERAL EVALUATION

  1. What is the meaning of NAPTIP?
  2. Explain the roles of NAPTIP in eradicating human trafficking.
  3. Define constituted authority?
  4. Mention the types of constituted authority.
  5. State the ways through which leaders emerge.

 

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

  1. NAPTIP was established in year (a) 2000 (b) 2002 (c) 2003
  2. Which of these Nigerian heads of state signed the trafficking in persons act into law? (a) General AbdulsalamAbubakar  (b) DrGoodluck Jonathan(c) Chief OlusegunObasanjo
  3. The National Assembly passed the bill on trafficking in persons law act on ________ (a) 14th July 2003 (b) 7th July 2003 (c) 7th August 2003
  4. Which of these units of NAPTIP receives intelligence information on human trafficking activities? (a) public enlightenment unit  (b) investigation unit  (c) prosecution unit
  5. NAFDAC means?  (a) National Food, Drug Administration and council  (b) National Food Drug Administration and Control  (c) National Food, Drug Administration and committee

 

THEORY

  1. How can government assist in eradicating human trafficking?
  2. Highlight five roles of individuals in eradicating human trafficking.

 

See also

HUMANTRAFFICKING

ADVANTAGES OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY

CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY

RIGHTS OF CITIZENS

BANNED AND CONTAMINATED FOODS

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