Even though this study was primarily on human traffi cking and prostitution among Edo women and girls of Edo state in Nigeria, human traffi cking, however, is a widespread, visible phenomenon in the world today. It is a global problem. A report from United Nations Offi ce on Drug and Crime in 2014 says that human traffi cking involves over three million people in the world, bringing their slaveholders an annual profi t of 32 billion dollars. According to the same report, there is no place in the world where children, women, and men are safe from human traffi cking. In the background, the stark reality of poverty, unemployment, social marginalization, political crises, wars, interethnic confl icts, and the militarization of entire territories has increased the massive displacements of the population, fuelling the illegal sex trade linked to them. Many youngsters who desire to improve their living conditions and those of their families fl eeing their homes often become prey to criminal organizations who take advantage of them, exploit them, and dehumanize them. Little do they know when they are leaving their homes to go to overseas, what is waiting for them is often something altogether diff erent, namely intimidation, blackmail, violence, nightmare, and slavery that strip them of all dignity and respect. To make matters worse, most of the victims and their families not only lose credibility but are also ostracized by their local communities when what happened comes to light. Th erefore, the victims of this painful chain are not only young girls and boys but also families. Unfortunately, some parents, especially mothers, have also been perpetrators of this deplorable crime. Th ey push their daughters into the arms of their torturers, lulled by the dream of a brighter future. To stop and to prevent the reoccurence of this criminal network of complicity, which has been more or less voluntary, conscious and unconscious, a joint commitment by all governments, organizations, local communities, and individuals is necessary. Everyone needs to remember and never forget that every human being, every person has been created and procreated in the image and likeness of God and is a subject of essential rights, which should never be violated but rather should be respected and upheld by everyone in every time and place.

This book explores the disturbing dimensions of the problem of insecurity in Nigeria, such as herdsmen violence, the Boko Haram insurgency, cybercrime, militancy in the Niger Delta, communal conflict and violence, as well as police corruption. It offers a comprehensive discussion of the theoretical foundations of internal security, the threats to internal security, the role of formal and informal agencies in internal security management and the challenges of internal security management.

This book describes the nature of trafficking in persons in West Africa, focusing on labor and sexual exploitation in the region, and recommends tailor-made solutions established by the Catholic Church in light of governmental authorities’ failure to effectively combat this scourge of humanity. While states’ efforts to fulfill their international obligations in developing anti-trafficking legislations are recognized, their failure to carry out prosecutions of offenders and ensure protection of the victims reveals that law alone is not a sufficient instrument for realizing human rights and improving people’s lives. Faced with the sobering background of less than successful efforts by governmental entities to end the trade in humans, this research study recommends adopting essential elements of Catholic social teaching, which rests on the inherent dignity of human beings allowing the development of political, socio-cultural, and religious reforms that will increase the effectiveness of existing legislation designed to combat trafficking. This faith-based approach highlights the role that religion may play in fulfilling the discretionary provisions of the Palermo Protocol by promoting the welfare and protecting the life and dignity of the victims. Additionally, religion is composed of sound moral ethics that determine people's behavior to refrain from the sinful conduct of trafficking. It also creates a sense of ethical responsibility that promotes supply chain transparency and ethical purchasing as well as advocating social reforms and anti-trafficking legislations initiatives. In fact, the author's approach, may be a model for other regions in the world and will be of interest to scholars, law and policy makers, human rights advocates and law enforcement agents working in the field of trafficking in persons.

This book traces the inland origins of slaves leaving West Central Africa at the peak period of the transatlantic slave trade.

Examines the impact of the Stockholm Agenda on the work of a variety of actors in overcoming the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Highlights the successes and difficulties faced in implementing the Agenda and provides country reports on progress made.

This report documents human rights abuses committed against largely Nigerian women and girls who are trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation within and outside Nigeria. It also focuses on the experiences of non-Nigerian women and girls who are trafficked into Nigeria, most of them for domestic servitude. It shows how some assistance measures are further violating survivors' rights. The report highlights physical, mental, social, and economic impact of these abuses on survivors, and describes significant gaps in, and obstacles to, much-needed support services. It further outlines steps the Nigerian government should take to combat trafficking in persons and provide survivors the medical care, psychological counseling, and financial assistance they need to heal from the trauma and rebuild their lives.