United States’ government has identified Nigeria as a source, transit and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking.

As a Tier 2 country, Nigeria does not fully comply with Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards, but is making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance.

In its latest Trafficking in Persons Report released by the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, Nigeria is described as a transit point for West African children subjected to forced labour in the country’s granite mines.

The report stated further that West African women were taken through Nigeria to various destinations in Europe and the Middle East, where they are subsequently subjected to forced prostitution.

“Nigerian women and girls are subjected to forced prostitution throughout Europe. Nigerian women and children are also recruited and transported to destinations in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, where they are held captive in the sex trade or in forced labour. Nigerian gangs subject large numbers of Nigerian women to forced prostitution in the Czech Republic and Italy,” the report said.

European Police Office, the TIP document added, had identified Nigerian organised crime related to trafficking in person as one of the greatest law enforcement challenges to European governments.

“Nigerian women are transported to Malaysia, where they are forced into prostitution and to work as drug mules for their traffickers. West African women transit Nigeria to destinations in Europe and the Middle East, where they are subsequently subjected to forced prostitution. Children from West African countries are subjected to forced labour in Nigeria, including in Nigeria’s granite mines. Nigeria is a transit point for West African children subjected to forced labour in Cameroon and Gabon,” it stated.

According to the report, trafficked children are also being used as child soldiers in the fight against Boko Haram. It called on the Federal Government and Borno State to stop provision of “financial and in-kind support” to the Civilian Joint Task Force, which it accused of using children to fight against Boko Haram.

While commending the Federal Government for its fight against trafficking, it urged the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to investigate and prosecute all individuals suspected of recruiting and using child soldiers and perpetrating other trafficking abuses against women and children.

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