Child Trafficking in Nigeria: Its Religious Implications

Abstract

The trafficking of children for the purpose of domestic service, prostitution and other forms of exploitative labour is a widespread phenomenon in Nigeria. Sale of babies has become a thriving business in the South-Eastern states of Nigeria, promoting unscrupulous Nigerians to set up baby factories for commercial purposes. Human trafficking is a global phenomenon, with women and children being more vulnerable. In West Africa, there is a widespread trafficking in women and children within the region as well as to overseas locations and Nigeria is not an exception in this illicit trade. Nigeria experiences both internal and external trafficking of children. About eight million Nigerian children, mostly trafficked children, are in forced labour in various parts of the country. Nigeria has acquired a reputation for being one of the leading African countries in human trafficking with cross-border and internal trafficking. This paper seeks to take a critical assessment of child trafficking in Nigeria, identify the root causes of child trafficking and its effects. Religious implications of child trafficking in Nigeria will be treated with a view of making genuine recommendations that the Nigeria church and Islam could see their positions to act as a powerful advocate through lobbying the United Nations human right group and others to fight the evil of child trafficking in Nigeria. the methodology adopted is historical and phenomenological, using secondary data collection and analysis done qualitatively