The Roles Of Governmental Organizations In Sex Trafficking In Nigeria: A Case Study Of Ojo Local Government, Lagos State
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background to the Study
Trafficking is a crime against humanity, a phenomenon that takes dignity away from human being and commodify persons as objects. It is a form of violence against human kind and a menace that denigrate human society. This scourge has manifested itself in many forms ranging from trafficking in humans (children, women, adults) to drugs, weapons, artifacts, etc. The United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (2000) described human trafficking as
the transportation, recruitment, harbouring, or transfer of persons by means of deception, threat or use of force, of abduction, of fraud, of the abuse of power or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of slavery and exploitation.
Sex trafficking is a form of human trafficking that mostly engages women and girls as sex slaves for the purpose of sex exploitation. It is also considered as sex trade, since victims are given out for the purpose of sexual activities in exchange for money or soliciting of a person for the purpose of commercial sex act.
This illegal act is, however, not a recent phenomenon, it is older than recorded human history. Since, its emergence, it has remained a plague to human society. Consequently, no society has been spared of its long reach, whether developed or developing. Nigeria, particularly, has had its fair share of the impact of sex trafficking. It has been a source and transit point for sex trafficking and is routinely listed as one of the countries with large numbers of trafficked victims overseas, especially to Europe – major destination being Italy, Spain, and Russia – Libya, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, among others.
Sadly, Nigeria has remained prominent for sex trafficking and a leading African country in human trafficking. There are 36 states in Nigeria, all of which had been battling with trafficking in all its forms. Sex trafficking is particularly prominent in Edo, Lagos, Abuja, and Eastern Nigeria. Lagos, being the Centre of commercial and industrial activities in Nigeria, attracts a massive influx of people from all works of life all over the country, which makes it a haven and operational base for sex traffickers.
One of the areas in Lagos where sex trafficking is gaining attraction is Ojo Local Government Area. The local government is a residential area located in the western part of Lagos State with a population of well over 838,900 people (Est. 2016). Its proximity to the Nigeria-Benin border and playing host to the Lagos State University (LASU) and its teeming youthful population makes the local government attractive for sex trafficking. The rise in this ugly trend has necessitated governmental and non-governmental response to nip it in the bud. The Ojo Local Government has initiated policies and programmes to complement the state government’s efforts at curbing the incidences of sex trafficking in the state and the local government area in particular. Against this background, this research work examines the roles of governmental organisations in curbing sex trafficking using Ojo Local Government as a case study. It will interrogate the various forms sex trafficking has manifested in the local government area, the threats it poses to the society and governmental efforts to reduce and eradicate the phenomenon in the area.
- Statement of the Problem
Sadly, the recent state of the local government area has faced many negativities in this act of sex trafficking and the traffickers themselves.
This research work tends to investigate the trend on female gender and problems such as, financial incapability and depression of many poor parents. A variety of factors that trigger the people’s vulnerability into the hands of traffickers are: homelessness, poverty and unemployment, corruption, depression, drug addiction, neglection, greediness and wants, poor parenting, gender inequality, school-dropout, quest for influence and fame, peer influence, globalization, openness to social media expositive suggestions, including the level of illiteracy and ignorance. Excessive family size i.e., high birth rate in families, unable to provide basic and legitimate needs for their children. Without the proper policies and government intervention, the issue of sex trafficking in the area will continue to grow higher.
- Research Objectives
The main objective of this study is to examine the roles of governmental organizations in sex trafficking in Nigeria using Ojo Local Government Area in Lagos State as a case study. The specific objectives are to:
- Examine the nature and dynamics of sex trafficking in Ojo Local Government
- Explore Ojo Local Government’s initiatives to curb sex trafficking in the area
- Assessment Ojo Local Government’s initiatives against sex trafficking
- Identify the challenges faced by governmental organization in curbing sex trafficking in Ojo Local Government
- Research Questions
This project is guided by the following research questions:
- What is the nature and dynamics of sex trafficking in Ojo Local Government?
- What are the Ojo Local Governmental initiatives to curb sex trafficking in the area?
- What is the assessment of Ojo Local Government initiatives against sex trafficking?
- What are the challenges faced by governmental organization in curbing sex trafficking in Ojo Local Government?
- Scope of the Study
This study focuses on the governmental organizations and Ojo Local Government against sex trafficking from 2011 till date, when trafficking became rampant and policies was made to fight against it in Lagos state.
This study will make findings on the various factors that triggers sex trafficking and the danger it poses on national reputation and will also offer suggestions to the stated problems.
Significance to the Study
This study will make it clear that sex trafficking needed to be studies in a broader political, economic, social and gender context. Through the findings of this study, it tends to add more to knowledge, offer useful recommendations to everyone on how to improve citizens participation in the politics and governance of their society.
This study will help us get an insight of how the government have been dealing with sex trafficking, including the consequences and challenges.
- Organization of the Study
This study is made up of five chapters. Chapter one is introduction. It includes background to the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, scope of the study, significance of the study as well the definition of terms. Chapter two focuses on the review of related literature and theoretical framework. Chapter three presents the research methods adopted in the study. Chapter four data presentation and analysis. Chapter five covers summary, conclusion, and recommendations.
- Definition of Key Terms
Sex Trafficking: Refers to the act of illegally transporting of people from one country or area to another for the purpose of sexual exploitation. It occurs when women or girls are commercially sexually exploited.
Human Trafficking: Is defined as a crime against humanity, it involves the act of recruiting, transportation, transferring, harbouring, or receiving a person through the use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them, is the act of recruitment and transportation of persons (both male and female) within or across borders
Governmental Organizations: a government organization can also be referred to as public agency, they are owned by the state and are established for specific functions. These organizations are created by either a national government or a state government within a federal system.
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