The most recent report on human trafficking released by the United State government has revealed that efforts by Nigeria’s federal government to combat human trafficking and forced labour is being sabotaged by the Borno state government.
According to the report released on Monday, July 27, Borno state government, which is the most affected state by Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria’s north eastern region have been actively supporting the recruitment of child soldiers into the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in the last one year.
Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), is a local vigilante group mainly consisting of youths assisting the Nigerian military in the fight against Boko Haram.
The report referred to Nigeria as a source, transit and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking.
“Nigerian trafficking victims are recruited from rural and, to a lesser extent, urban areas: women and girls for domestic servitude and sex trafficking and boys for forced labour in street vending, domestic service, mining, stone quarrying, agriculture, textiles manufacturing, and begging.
“Young boys in Koranic schools, commonly known as Almajiri children, are subjected to forced begging.
“Nigerian women and children are taken from Nigeria to other West and Central African countries, as well as to South Africa, where they are exploited for the same purposes.”
In the report, Nigeria was ranked in ‘Tier two category’, the same rank it received in 2014.
While praising the Nigerian government for its efforts in combating human trafficking in the last one year, the report condemned the Borno state government led by Governor Kashim Shettima for supporting the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) involved in the recruitment and use of child soldiers to fight against Boko Haram insurgency.
The report admitted that Governor Shettima warned the CJTF on the prohibition of the recruitment and use of child soldiers but the state government still continued to support the group.
While proffering solution to combat trafficking and forced labour in Nigeria, the report advised Nigerian government to cut off “financial and in-kind support to the CJTF until the group ceases the recruitment and use of children” and also “investigate and prosecute all individuals suspected of recruiting and using child soldiers.”
Other solutions to combat trafficking and forced labour according to the report, are“prosecution of trafficking offenses, and adequate sentencing of convicted trafficker, investigating and prosecuting government officials suspected of trafficking-related corruption.”
Mr. Shettima was on President Muhammadu Buhari’s entourage to the United States last week.
The fight against insurgency in the north eastern region of Nigeria have witnessed many conspiracy theories. The government is finding it difficult to curtail the terrorist group. The group often change its tactics and mode of attacks whenever military offensive by the Nigerian Army is heightened.
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