NiDCOM Calls for Unified National Strategy Against Human Trafficking

The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has underscored the urgent need for inter-agency collaboration and a comprehensive national strategy to tackle human trafficking in Nigeria.

Speaking through the Commission’s Secretary, Engr. Dr. Sule Yakubu Bassi, at a stakeholder forum titled Advancing Collaborative Responses to Human Trafficking in Nigeria, Dabiri-Erewa emphasized a “whole-of-government, whole-of-society” approach as vital to combat the menace effectively.

The one-day Stakeholder Knowledge Exchange, Engagement and Partnership Programme (SKEEP) was convened in Abuja by the Open University UK in collaboration with the University of Ibadan, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), NiDCOM, the National Assembly, and the National Anti-Bullying Campaign.

Dabiri-Erewa stressed the role of key stakeholders including youth, community leaders, religious institutions, media, embassies, civil society organizations, and government ministries and agencies in building a unified front to eradicate trafficking.

She revealed that NiDCOM, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NAPTIP, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and several state governments, has facilitated the repatriation of over 15,000 trafficked Nigerians from countries such as Libya, Oman, Ghana, Mali, Lebanon, and Côte d'Ivoire.

The NiDCOM Chair also urged government at all levels to address the root causes of trafficking, identifying both push factors (economic hardship, insecurity) and pull factors (false promises of better opportunities abroad) that contribute to irregular migration and exploitation.

Echoing these concerns, NAPTIP Director General, Mrs. Binta Adamu Bello represented by Mr. Josiah Emerole, Director of Research outlined the agency’s five-pillar strategy in the fight against trafficking: Policy, Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and Partnerships.

She emphasized the agency’s adoption of victim-centered approaches through robust legal and support frameworks.

Dr. Margaret Ebubedike and Dr. Saraswati Dawadi of the International Education Institute, Open University UK, shared international insights and learnings from anti-trafficking efforts in Nepal, Uganda, and Nigeria. They commended Nigeria’s multi-level engagement on the issue and advocated for stronger grassroots awareness campaigns and the public identification of traffickers.

The event also featured personal testimonies from trafficking survivors, further underlining the human cost of the crisis and the urgency of sustained action.