Nigeria has highest victims of forced labour, prostitution

NIGERIA represents one of the largest groups of victims exploited in forced labour and prostitution in Italy and other countries in Europe. Coordinator, United Nation in Nigeria, Mr. Daouda Toure, while speaking at the first  joint  workshop between  the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of ILO Abuja Country Office, EU Delegation to Nigeria, and Department of Equal Oppor-tunities (DEO), disclosed that an estimated 12.3 million people were suffering in forced labour, stressing that 2.4million were victims of human trafficking.He said: Human trafficking is lucrative but inhuman business that strives on misinformation, deceit, abuse and the exploitation of its victims and said it fetched its perpetrators about a staggering 3.2billion dollar every year.Nigeria is a source, transit and destination for persons subjected to trafficking. Nigerians are trafficked internally, to neighboring countries and Europe and the Middle East. Italy is the main destination country for victims trafficked from Nigeria to EuropeHe blamed the situation on poverty, stressing that poverty alone could not explain human trafficking.Mr. Toure added: It may be greener on other side which is pushing young Africans to fall prey to unscrupulous traffickers. But many do not make it to their destination, those who do, almost invariable, are confronted with reality that is darker and gloomier than that they left behindAlso speaking, Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Roberto Colamine, said human trafficking and forced labour were  serious crimes that were both a cause and consequences of human rights violations affecting vulnerable groups.The European Union is an active actor in the fight against human trafficking and forced labour and continues to fund projects around the world to combat them.
Click here to read full news..