Despite sustained efforts by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Nigeria remains one of the leading countries in West Africa affected by human trafficking.
The country continues to serve as a source, transit, and destination for trafficking networks, with hundreds of victims mostly women and children trafficked annually within Nigeria and abroad, particularly to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, for forced labour, sexual exploitation, and domestic servitude.
In an effort to shed more light on the grim realities of the menace, a new book titled Vicious Red Cycle, authored by Ambassador Alex Oriakwu, was unveiled in Abuja.
According to Oriakwu, the novel tells the story of Itohan, a young Nigerian girl trapped in the web of modern slavery, and her struggle for freedom and justice.
The occasion attracted several dignitaries, including lawmakers, top government officials, diplomats, and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda who in his remarks commended the author for igniting critical conversations around human trafficking, describing the book as more than fiction but a clarion call to collective action.
Reviewing the 198-page book, President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, urged Nigerians to reject the culture of silence that allows human trafficking to thrive.
Speakers at the event also reiterated the need for stronger government action and collective responsibility to combat the scourge and protect vulnerable citizens.
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