Legal hubs open in Kano and Enugu to support trafficking victims

By Naija Enquirer Staff

Victims of human trafficking in northern and south-eastern Nigeria are set to gain improved access to justice following the opening of new legal support hubs in Kano and Enugu.

The centres were established by the Foundation for the Internationalization of Public Administration (FIAP), with funding from the European Union under the support to migration governance project in Nigeria. The initiative aims to strengthen the country’s response to trafficking, migrant smuggling and related crimes.

The hubs are designed to assist victims in seeking legal redress, pursuing compensation, and understanding their rights after exploitation.

Speaking in Abuja, Sani Bello, FIAP technical adviser on criminal investigation, said the hubs would focus on the prosecution pillar of Nigeria’s anti-trafficking framework.

“Access to justice remains a major challenge for trafficking victims,” he said. “These hubs are meant to bridge that gap by ensuring survivors are supported to pursue their cases and claim compensation where possible.”

Expanding the network

The Kano and Enugu centres expand an existing network first established in 2020 in Lagos, Edo and Delta states by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

According to IOM, the model brings together lawyers, human rights bodies and law enforcement agencies to provide coordinated legal support to vulnerable migrants and trafficking survivors.

The new hubs were inaugurated in November, bringing the total number nationwide to five. Coordinators from all hubs are currently undergoing training in Abuja alongside representatives from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

The training focuses on civil litigation, victim compensation and improved coordination among investigators, prosecutors and legal practitioners.

Reflecting on his experience working with survivors, Bello noted that many victims are willing to pursue justice but lack guidance on navigating the legal system.

Changing patterns of trafficking

Osita Osemene, Executive Director of the Patriotic Citizen Initiatives (PCI) and one of the trainers, said human trafficking in Nigeria has become more complex due to insecurity, economic hardship and displacement.

“Trafficking today is no longer limited to cross-border movement,” he said. “Internal trafficking has increased sharply, often driven by insecurity in the north and economic pressures in the south.”

Osemene noted that while awareness has improved through collaboration between civil society groups, international partners and government agencies such as NAPTIP, legal support for survivors remains inadequate.

“Many rescued victims are denied justice because legal support often ends at rescue. Trafficking cases require specialised legal handling beyond routine litigation,” he said.

Survivor experiences underscore urgency

Dr Ijeoma Nnaji, South-east zonal coordinator of the Network of Trafficked Children, Abuse and Labour in Nigeria, highlighted how trafficking methods have become increasingly deceptive.

She recounted the case of a young woman trafficked under the guise of marriage, after a trafficker paid her bride price and took her abroad, where she was forced into prostitution.

The survivor later escaped with help from a client, briefly fell into another trafficking network, and eventually returned to Nigeria traumatised and stigmatised.

Dr Nnaji said sustained counselling, psychosocial care and legal protection were critical for survivors’ recovery.

“Rescue alone is not enough. Survivors need legal protection, understanding and long-term support,” she said.

Human trafficking remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria, with women and children particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation, forced labour and irregular migration routes. Stakeholders say the new legal hubs represent a critical step toward closing long-standing gaps in victim protection and access to justice.