Tony Akowe, Abuja
The House of Representatives have raised an alarm that more Nigerian girls were being trafficked out of the country and used for sex labour across the globe, saying about 50 girls are shipped out daily by sex merchants.
The House resolved to investigate the sex slavery and ask the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to begin to shame the traffickers in their homes, including the widespread publication of the names and pictures of convicted traffickers.
The House frown at the treatment being meted to Nigerian girls across the globe where they are trafficked to after being deceived that they were going abroad for greener pastures
The House also resolved to ask personnel of the Nigerian Immigration Service at the ports and borders of Nigeria to allow trained NAPTIP officials to operate, to spot, identify and prevent the illicit emigration of potential victims and in the long term, given the low budget of NAPTIP, to make it mandatory for all border officials of all security agencies to be trained by NAPTIP.
It also mandated its Committee on Human Rights to conduct investigation into all aspects of sex slavery and recommend appropriate budgeting and legislative, measures including sanctions and cooperation with fellow African countries to stem the tide.
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The House decision arose from a motion on the need to investigate the degrading sex slavery Nigerian Women are Subjected to sponsored by Rep Rimamnde Shawulu Kwewum, Zakariya Nyampa, Abubakar Hassan Fulata, Kwamoti Bitrus Laori, Babajimi Benson, Dachung Musa Bagos and Sada Soli
Moving the motion sponsored by eight lawmakers, Rep. Rimamnde Shawulu reminded the House of the assurances given by President Muhammadu Buhari in Sochi, Russia recently that the Nigerian Government would stretch its reach and capacity to protect all Nigerians all over the world.
He said that presently, there are tens of thousands of Nigerian women who have been turned into sex slaves around the world, adding that reports in the media show that Nigerian women and even underage girls have been turned into sex slaves in European and several Middle East countries.
He expressed concern that neighbouring West African states which depend on Nigeria for their wellbeing and security have become notorious in maltreating Nigerian women, keeping them as sex slaves and providing safe haven for perpetrators of human trafficking.
He argued that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) conducted several investigations and discovered that between 20,000-30,000 Nigerian girls are sex slaves with fifty additional girls being added to the list every day.
He said that the agency also discovered that as a result of increased efforts by the Security Agencies, traffickers no longer accompany their victims to Mali, but now “waybill” the girls through Cotonou.
According to him, the agency also reported that many of the victims were deceived by friends and relatives to leave Nigeria for greener pastures (mostly domestic work, hair dressing or sales) only to discover that they are being used for sex trade.
He said further that Nigerian girls are trafficked mainly to the mining areas in the South and Central part of Mali, while a substantial number are trafficked to rebel held areas in the North of Mali, where they stand the risk of being radicalized.
He disclosed that some of the victims were taken away from Nigeria, some in school uniforms and are being treated like slaves and less than second class citizens by Malians and their law enforcement agencies collect taxes from the Nigerian women on a weekly basis and force them to use condoms;
He said further that Nigerian women are forced by their ‘Madams’ to sleep with numerous men, without using any protection, hence the high incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and other ailments.
