trafficking

Beneath the surface of Nigeria’s bustling cities and quiet border towns lies a growing crisis that’s tearing families apart and robbing children of their futures. Child trafficking — often hidden in plain sight — is surging across the country, fueled by porous borders, weak enforcement, and transnational crime networks.

Recent arrests and rescue operations by Nigerian security forces have shed light on just how widespread the problem has become. In April, operatives from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Kebbi State intercepted a vehicle transporting 12 underage girls — some as young as nine — allegedly en route to neighbouring Niger Republic. Just a few weeks earlier, a similar bust in Ogun State revealed a child trafficking syndicate moving minors into Benin Republic through bush paths.

“These are not isolated cases,” says Uche Anozie, a field officer with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). “Every month, we intercept trafficked children. And for every one we rescue, there are dozens more who vanish without a trace.”

Porous Borders, Powerful Networks

Nigeria’s vast and largely unmonitored borders — stretching over 4,000 kilometers across 12 countries — have long been exploited by traffickers. Many operate sophisticated networks that ferry children across borders for forced labour, domestic servitude, street begging, or even sexual exploitation in Europe and the Middle East.

“Border security is Nigeria’s soft underbelly,” warns retired Major-General O.A. Bakare, a former commander in the Nigerian Army. “We don’t have enough personnel, surveillance tech, or community policing systems in place. Traffickers exploit our weaknesses ruthlessly.”

Local vigilantes in border communities, such as Illela (Sokoto) and Jibia (Katsina), report frequent sightings of suspicious vehicle convoys — often with minors onboard. But without legal authority, they can do little beyond sounding the alarm.

NGOs & Civil Society Step In

With official capacity stretched thin, NGOs and civil society groups have become a critical line of defence. Organizations like Women’s Rights Watch and Save the Child Initiative have launched community-based surveillance networks, training volunteers to spot trafficking patterns and report quickly.

Ngozi Ude, a program director at Safe Haven Foundation, emphasizes prevention. “We go to schools, markets, religious centres — warning parents and children alike. Poverty makes people vulnerable, but awareness gives them a fighting chance.”

Still, limited funding and political will remain a challenge. Many grassroots groups rely heavily on donor support, which is inconsistent at best. As one NGO leader noted, “Attention spikes during high-profile cases, then fades — but trafficking doesn’t stop.”

NAPTIP’s Struggle and Strategy

NAPTIP, Nigeria’s main anti-trafficking agency, has stepped up operations under its current leadership. In 2024 alone, the agency rescued over 2,000 trafficked persons, most of them children, and secured multiple convictions in Lagos, Edo, and Kano States.

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Director-General Fatima Waziri-Azi says progress is being made, but the scale of the problem is enormous. “We need stronger collaboration between law enforcement, immigration, traditional rulers, and international partners,” she says. “We can’t fight this alone.”

NAPTIP has recently partnered with Interpol and ECOWAS to track trafficking routes and launch cross-border operations. However, efforts are often slowed by red tape, poor intelligence sharing, and political sensitivities.

A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight

For victims, the trauma is lifelong. Hauwa, a 15-year-old rescued from a trafficking ring in Libya, now lives in a Lagos shelter. “They told my parents I’d work in a salon abroad,” she says quietly. “Instead, I was locked up for months and beaten if I refused customers.”

Experts warn that unless child trafficking is treated as a national emergency, the numbers will keep climbing — and Nigeria’s global human rights image will continue to suffer.

What Needs to Change?

Advocates call for a multi-pronged response:

Border digitization and surveillance
Special trafficking courts for swift prosecution
Increased funding for shelters and victim rehabilitation
Stronger school enrollment drives to reduce vulnerability

Above all, they stress the need to keep public attention alive. “People think trafficking is distant or rare. It’s not,” says Anozie. “It could be your neighbour’s child. Your cousin. Your classmate. And that’s what makes it so dangerous.”