The House of Representatives has urged the executive to establish a comprehensive repatriation and reintegration programme for Nigerian victims of human trafficking stranded in Mali and other West African countries.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe (APC, Oyo) at Wednesday’s plenary.
In adopting the motion, the House also called for a dedicated intervention fund in the 2027 budget to support the repatriation, rehabilitation and economic empowerment of trafficked Nigerians, particularly women.
While presenting the motion, Akande-Sadipe decried the persistence of human trafficking from Nigeria to Mali and neighbouring countries, noting that victims are often subjected to sexual exploitation and forced labour.
According to her, “The trafficking of adults has persisted for over a decade despite the efforts of the Federal Government through the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
“Adult traffickers, having become aware of the risks, have now diverted their attention to children as young as 10 years old. Most alarming is that these children are often sold to brothels or organ harvesters.”
She cited reports by humanitarian organisations, including the National Council of Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria, which indicate that hundreds of Nigerian minors remain trapped in exploitative conditions across Mali and parts of West Africa.
Akande-Sadipe said many victims are either abducted or deceived with promises of legitimate jobs, only to be trafficked across porous borders and forced into abuse.
“The House is aware of the humanitarian collaboration between NACCRAN, NAPTIP, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, the House Committee on Humanitarian Services, and other partners, which recently led to the successful rescue and repatriation of several underage Nigerians from Mali.
“Many of these victims, who were internally displaced upon arrival in Nigeria, have since been reunited with their families through the efforts of the House Committee on Humanitarian Services.
“We recognise that effective repatriation and reintegration require a multi-agency approach involving medical and psychosocial support, vocational empowerment, and sustainable reintegration programmes to prevent re-trafficking; hence, the need to assess the effectiveness of ongoing repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration programmes for rescued victims.
“We are concerned that despite Nigeria’s international commitments under the Palermo Protocol, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, coordination gaps, inadequate funding, and bureaucratic delays continue to hinder the timely rescue and repatriation of trafficked Nigerian citizens,” she added.
The motion was unanimously adopted when Speaker Tajudeen Abbas put to a voice vote.
Following the adoption, the House mandated its Committee on Humanitarian Services to work with Committees on Diaspora, Foreign Affairs and Justice to investigate the current situation of trafficked Nigerians in Mali and across West Africa.
