The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, has observed that funding, weak legislation, corruption and poor law enforcement are some of the issues hindering the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria.

To this end, some major countries of the world had earlier played host to some 104 teenage girls of Nigeria extraction as sex slaves, until the victims were recently evacuated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

A new report which was presented to newsmen in Lagos  revealed that while the Nigerian government has made efforts in eliminating trafficking in persons, there were a number of standards yet to be complied with.

The report says “In 2012, a total number of 60 girls aged 16-25 were rescued from slave masters in Ghana and Ivory Coast. While in 2014, 104 Nigerian girls used as sex slaves were evacuated from Mali where they were paid as little as 500 CFAs, that’s N150 for sex”.

In the just released 2013 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report, Nigeria remained in tier two status because the “government of Nigeria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking”.

According to the Executive Director of UNODC, Yury Fedotov, “Human trafficking is a crime that ruthlessly exploits women, children and men for numerous purposes including forced labour and sex. This global crime generates billions of dollars in profits for the traffickers.”

He stated further that, International Labour Organization estimates that 20.9 million people are victims of forced labour globally. This estimate also includes victims of human trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation. While it is not known how many of these victims were trafficked, the estimate implies that currently, there are millions of trafficking in persons victims in the world.

He said human trafficking requires a forceful response founded on the assistance and protection for victims, rigorous enforcement by the criminal justice system, a sound migration policy and firm regulation of the labour markets.

“However, if the international community is to achieve long-term successes in combating trafficking in persons, we need reliable information on the offenders, the victims, and the trafficking flows throughout the regions.”

The UN Chief stressed that, the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2013 provides such information, and explores this crime across the world.

He however pointed out that, the officially reported information that forms the basis of this report cannot be used to generate a global estimate of the number of victims, it has shed light on the patterns and flows of human trafficking, in line with the request of Member States. The Report provides a solid basis for understanding the global nature of this form of modern slavery. Its findings are deeply troubling.

According to the Report, at least 136 different nationalities were trafficked and detected in 118 different countries. Human trafficking happens throughout the world with millions of victims falling through the cracks of their own societies only to be exploited by traffickers. They can be found in the world’s restaurants, fisheries, brothels, farms and homes, among many other activities.

It was observed in the report that, one of the most worrying trends is the increase in child victims. From 2003—2006, 20 per cent of all detected victims were children. Between 2007 and 2010, the percentage of child victims had risen to 27 per cent. Trafficking originating from East Asia also remains the most conspicuous globally. Based on the Report, East Asian victims were found in 64 countries in all regions, and were often detected in large numbers. Another worrying aspect is the low conviction rates. According to the Report, the conviction rates for trafficking are at the same level as rare crimes such as homicides in Iceland or kidnappings in Norway. “We, therefore, need to work harder at detecting and punishing this shameful criminal activity”, he said.

The report said, aside from these negative developments, there were some positive trends. By 2013, 134 countries and territories had enacted legislation criminalizing trafficking. Indeed, the percentage of countries without an offence criminalizing this activity halved between 2008 and 2013. There is also evidence that trafficking from Eastern Europe and Central Asia has been declining since 2000.

“Overall, the international community has the tools to confront this crime. The widespread ratification of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children is a success story. Currently, 154 countries, including Nigeria have ratified it. The Protocol is closely supported by the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, which also established the Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children to aid the victims.”

The Report is however said to be a stepping stone in the right direction, and it highlights the commitment of Member States to tackle this crime.