Human Trafficking II – Combating Human Trafficking SS1 Civic Education Lesson Note

Government and Individual Efforts geared Towards Combating Human Trafficking

1. Establishment of NAPTIP in the year 2003.
2. The government pledged in 2009 to annually fund the activities and operations of NAPTIP with over 7 million dollars.
3. The government sustained efforts to raise awareness of 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 forms.
5. The government together with international partners provides 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.

NOTE: The Trafficking in Persons Law Enforcement and Administration Bill was passed by the National Assembly (House of Senate and House of Representatives) on 7th July 2003. President Olusegun Obasanjo 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 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 the trafficking of children for forced begging and hawking. The law also prescribed a similar penalty for offences like rape.

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

The Child Rights Act was enacted in 2003 to make child trafficking a criminal offence. Nigeria’s constitution, however, placed child rights issues under the jurisdiction of the state government.

National Agency For Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Offences (NAPTIP)

NAPTIP came into existence on the 26th of 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 Administration Act 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 the eradication of trafficking in persons.
3. To adopt witness protection measures. To enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement agents to suppress the traffic in persons.
4. 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.
5. To supervise, control and coordinate the rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking.
6. 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 intending to arrest and array them in court for prosecution.

2. Prosecution unit:

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

3. Counselling and rehabilitation unit:

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

4. Public enlightenment:

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

ASSIGNMENT:

1. State the punishment awarded for people who engage in human trafficking.
2. Highlight the various functions of NAPTIP.
3. What is the meaning of NAPTIP?
4. Explain the roles of NAPTIP in eradicating human trafficking.