Epidemiology of Child Trafficking in Niger-Delta of Nigeria-Proffering a Panacea

Abstract

Child trafficking dehumanizes the child and relegates to the background. Victims are treated as modern slaves wherever taken to within or outside their domain, Niger Delta inclusive. Child trafficking is the third most common crime in Nigeria after drug trafficking and economic fraud. This paper examines child trafficking in Niger Delta and proffers solutions. Results from extensive review of literature shows that NAPTIP report of 2017 in pathfinder blog of 2018 showed that male victims are below 11 years whilst, the female are above 18 years out of 40.3 million victims worldwide 25% are children. Three thousand (3,000) children are trafficked daily and are used for sexual exploitation, begging, sale of organs like kidney represents 5 – 10% of transplant, sold to couples for adoption at very high prices. Another trend of child trafficking is baby factory. Determinants of child trafficking in the region are exploration of oil, weak legal system, poverty, changes in standard of living, infertility and adoption to mention but a few. Child trafficking is an aspect of child abuse, it is a major social problems. To put an end to this scourge, the legal system should be fortified to take stringent measures against traffickers. The government/private sectors should employ the citizenry as to meet their daily demands. The Minister of Health should put in place services to assist infertile couples to have their own children. The ministry of health should also abolish baby factories to put an end to the use of girls in making babies for sale at exorbitant prices like commodities.