By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja -The National Director, Caritas Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, on Thursday advised government at all levels to address issues of poverty and unemployment as contained in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Bassey told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja during a three-day workshop on human trafficking organised by Caritas Nigeria, that this will go a long way to reduce human trafficking.
“Among the 17 SDGs, several goals directly bear on the issue of human trafficking, the 5th goal on Gender, eighth on sustainable economic growth and decent work,
“Others include the 10th goal on reducing inequality, and the 16th on inclusive societies, access to justice and building strong institutions, and Goal 17th on means of Implementation and Global partnerships.
Bassey said the root causes of human trafficking differ from country to country, saying trafficking was a complex phenomenon that was often driven or influenced by social, economic, cultural and other factors.
He said elements that constitute human trafficking includes the exploitation of the prostitution of others, or other forms of sexual abuse, forced labour or enslavement or servitude, and body organ removal.
Bassey said others include the exploitation of children whether for sex, for labour, including forced begging and underage marriage.
According to him, for instance organ trafficking is not mainly about transplantation, it is about voodoo.
“Somehow, a set of people believe that they could use human parts for certain rituals that would make them rich or invincible.
“So children, adult women and men are sometimes kidnapped and killed for body parts, which are trafficked for ritual purposes,’’ he said.
Bassey said another manifestation was new-born child trafficking , adding that traffickers could set up fake ‘safe houses’ where girls with unwanted pregnancies live, give birth and give off their babies to childless couples.
He said most times the owners of the centre receives financial rewards for the transactions which is different than adoption.
“In some of the rings that have been busted by the police and reported in the media, some young women have taken it as a trade to get pregnant and sell off the babies afterwards.
“Recently five young pregnant women were arrested for intending to sell their babies on delivery, to the owner of a baby factory.
“ Childless couples are a ready market for trafficked babies, as they go all out to look for babies.
“Some women go to the extent of pretending to be pregnant, preparatory to ‘acquiring’ a baby,’’ he said.
Bassey said the heavy emphasis on children as an indicator for a successful marriage places heavy burdens on couples, especially the woman allowing for stigmatisation by in-laws.
“ Human trafficking which overrides the consent of such persons is a great foresight, as these women who give their consent to be trafficked would still be seen as victims because their prostitution is exploited by others.
“Nigerian authorities would have to do more in terms of joint initiatives with other countries to monitor migration routes.
“80 per cent of Nigerian girls that go to Italy are for sex trafficking purposes.
“There should be stronger collaboration between Nigerian authorities and Italian authorities, for the identification of Nigerian girls on arrival and their immediate debriefing and repatriation,’’ he said. (NAN)