Day Against Trafficking in Persons

2025 Theme: Human Trafficking is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation

FIDA Nigeria has repeatedly borne witness to the painful aftermath of human trafficking as it affects families, particularly women and children.

We have listened to the voices of displaced girls forced into sexual slavery, children deceived and pushed into forced labor, and young women tricked into foreign servitude under false promises of a better life. These are not isolated misfortunes; they are the results of a deeply entrenched system of organized exploitation, orchestrated by criminal networks that operate across borders, who thrive in vulnerable communities, and often act in full view.

This year’s theme compels us to look beyond the surface, because Human Trafficking is not simply a social problem; but rather, it is usually a calculated, multi-billion-dollar criminal enterprise, feeding on corruption, poverty, insecurity, weak institutions, and the vulnerability of those who have the least exposure and protection.

Across Nigeria, even between states, trafficking networks continue to flourish as children are transported from rural villages to urban centers where they are exploited as domestic servants and child laborers.
Our Girls are trafficked by close family and associates under the pretense of education or job opportunities then subjected to intense abuse; while young boys toil in plantations, illegal mining pits, construction sites, and sex markets, maltreated, malnourished and without adequate pay, with a great danger to their physical and emotional well-being.

These victims living in fear, remain trapped in the informal, largely unregulated sectors, are hidden and unheard of, without access to social protection and justice

FIDA Nigeria raises its voice in alarm as we cannot tackle organized crime with fragmented, uncoordinated, halfhearted responses, this is unacceptable as a multifaceted integrated approach is preferred and advised.

We therefore call on all the relevant Nigerian government agencies, law enforcement agencies, immigration and border control officers, civil society, and traditional and religious leaders to take immediate, coordinated action to:

Strengthen Law Enforcement (improved intelligence gathering & proper investigations); Ensure Swift Prosecution

Trafficking syndicates are well-structured and intentional. Our legal and law enforcement response must be equally fast, robust and resolute.

Anti-trafficking Laws must be enforced without delay such that Justice is visibly seen and felt.

Prioritize Early Identification and Comprehensive Victim Support being that alot of victims remain hiding in the shadows.

Community-level identification systems must be improved. Survivors need access to safe shelters, trauma-informed psychosocial support, legal aid, and long-term reintegration programs.

Amplify Prevention and Public Awareness campaigns in local languages because
Prevention is our first line of action. We must continuously educate families and communities especially in rural and underserved areas on the antics and tactics often deployed by traffickers and where they can seek available help.

While tackling inter- state traffickers within Nigeria, we must also Strengthen Transnational and Regional Collaborations because Human Traffickers operate syndicated transnational networks
Intelligence sharing, regional cooperation, and coordinated enforcement are essential to dismantling international trafficking rings.

Empower and Invest in Vulnerable Communities ensuring they become alert and resilient
Poverty is a wide gateway to exploitation. Government and stakeholders must invest in quality education, youth empowerment, social welfare, and sustainable economic opportunities that reduce desperation and restore dignified labor to families.

Forge Strong and Accountable Partnerships
No single institution can fight trafficking alone. Multi-sectoral partnerships involving government agencies, NGOs, faith-based groups, community leaders, survivor advocates, and the private sector are critical to building survivor-centered, results-driven interventions.

Let us unite in stopping modern day slavery, where daily, lives are stripped of dignity by trafficking networks that flourish in silence as they work in the shadows. Let’s note that behind every statistic is a human name, a face, and a future stolen.

The fight to end this injustice is a national imperative, demanding legal force, bold leadership, strong institutions, and an unrelenting commitment to human respect & dignity.
Human trafficking is a crime not a lapse in judgment. It is organized, systemic, and violent. And it must end.

Signed
Mrs. Eliana Martins
Country Vice President National President
FIDA Nigeria

Chineze Obianyo
National Publicity Secretary
FIDA Nigeria