United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Measures to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings in Benin, Nigeria and Togo
September 2006
Disclaimer
This Report has been reproduced without formal editing.
The designations employed and presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
2 Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ...... 6 List of Abbreviations...... 7 Executive Summary ...... 11 Chapter 1 The UN Global Programme against Trafficking in Human Beings and the Project “Measures to combat trafficking in human beings in Benin, Nigeria and Togo” 17 1.1 The Global Programme against Trafficking in Human Beings...... 17 1.2 “Measures to combat trafficking in human beings in Benin, Nigeria and Togo”.... 17 1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Study...... 18 1.4 Data contained in this report ...... 19 1.5 Layout of the report...... 19 Chapter 2 Defining the Problem and its Causes ...... 20 2.1 Defining the Problem ...... 20 2.2 Smuggling, Trafficking and Criminal Offences Linked to these Phenomena ...... 22 2.3 Indicators of Child Trafficking ...... 24 2.4 Theoretical Underpinnings: Factors Contributing to the Trafficking in Persons in West Africa...... 25 2.5 Migratory and Trafficking Patterns: the Case of West Africa ...... 28 2.6 Trafficking Routes...... 30 2.6.1 Benin ...... 31 2.6.2 Nigeria ...... 32 2.6.3 Togo ...... 33 2.7 Measuring the Problem ...... 34 2.8 Summary and Conclusions...... 36 Chapter 3 Research Instruments, Methodology and Samples ...... 37 3.1 Research Instruments ...... 37 3.2 Survey Methodology...... 39 3.2.1 Selection of Research Teams...... 39 3.2.2 The Training Seminar ...... 39 3.2.3 Data Collection and Time Frame...... 39 3.3. Difficulties in Obtaining Data on Trafficking in Human Beings...... 40 3.4 Experiences and Problems Encountered in Data Collection by the Research Teams ...... 40 3.5 Quality of Data...... 41 3.6 Samples ...... 41 3.6.1 Benin ...... 42 3.6.2 Nigeria ...... 43 3.6.3 Togo ...... 45 3.6.4 The total sample ...... 45 3.7 Summary and Conclusions...... 46 Chapter 4 The Nature of Trafficking in Human Beings in Benin, Nigeria and Togo ...... 48 4.1 Introduction ...... 48
3 4.2 The Victims...... 48 4.2.1 Age ...... 48 4.2.2 Gender...... 49 4.2.3 Family size and constitution...... 51 4.3 Recruitment Practices...... 51 4.4 Areas of Recruitment ...... 52 4.4.1 Benin ...... 52 4.2.2 Nigeria ...... 53 4.2.3 Togo ...... 53 4.3 Exploitation ...... 53 4.4 Criminals: Individual Traffickers and Criminal Networks ...... 54 4.4.1 Benin ...... 55 4.4.2 Nigeria ...... 56 4.4.3 Togo ...... 58 4.4.4 Total sample of traffickers...... 59 4.5 Arrest and Convictions...... 59 4.5.1 Benin ...... 59 4.5.2 Nigeria ...... 60 4.5.3 Togo ...... 61 4.6 Statistics ...... 63 4.7 Summary and Conclusions...... 65 Chapter 5 Legislative Responses ...... 67 5.1 Introduction ...... 67 5.2 Legislation...... 67 5.2.1 Benin ...... 67 5.2.2 Nigeria ...... 68 5.2.3 Togo ...... 71 5.3 Bilateral and Multilateral Agreements ...... 72 5.3.1 Bilateral agreements ...... 72 5.3.2 Multilateral agreements ...... 73 5.4 Regional Initiatives ...... 73 5.5 International Initiatives and Conventions ...... 74 5.6 Summary and Conclusions...... 76 Chapter 6 Government, NGOs and International Responses to Trafficking ...... 77 6.1 Introduction ...... 77 6.2 Benin ...... 77 6.2.1 Governmental response to trafficking ...... 77 6.2.2 NGO response...... 79 6.2.3 Village committees ...... 80 6.3 Nigeria...... 80 6.3.1 Governmental response...... 80 6.3.2 NGO and IGO response...... 83 6.3.3 State programmes...... 84 6.4 Togo ...... 85 6.4.1 Governmental agencies...... 85 6.4.2 NGO and IGO response...... 86 6.4.3 Togo’s Local / Village Committees ...... 90 6.5 Summary and Conclusions...... 91 Chapter 7 Cooperation Within and Between Countries...... 92 7.1 Introduction ...... 92
4 7.2 Benin ...... 92 7.3 Nigeria...... 92 7.3.1 Cooperation amongst government agencies ...... 92 7.3.2 Coordination between NGOs and Government Departments ...... 92 7.4 Togo ...... 94 7.5 International Cooperation...... 96 7.5.1 Legal agreements between countries ...... 96 7.5.2 Embassies as donors of anti-trafficking projects ...... 96 7.5.3 Interpol...... 97 7.5.4 Other forms of cooperation...... 98 7.5.5 The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Measures to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings in Benin, Nigeria and Togo ...... 99 7.6 Summary and Conclusions...... 100 Chapter 8 Challenges and Recommendations for Improvements and Best Practices ...... 102 8.1 Introduction ...... 102 8.2 Benin ...... 102 8.2.1 Challenges...... 102 8.2.2 Recommendations for good practices ...... 103 8.3 Nigeria...... 108 8.3.1 Challenges...... 108 8.3.2 Recommendations for good practices (aimed at the following groups) ...... 109 8.4 Togo ...... 110 8.4.1 Challenges...... 110 8.4.2 Recommendations for good practices ...... 111 8.5 Summary and Conclusions...... 114 Chapter 9 Conclusions and Recommendations...... 116 9.1 Introduction ...... 116 9.2 A discrepancy between theory and practice: why is it not working?...... 116 9.3 Recommendations ...... 118 References ...... 126 Appendix 1 Research Team Members...... 130 Appendix 2 Country Maps of Benin, Nigeria and Togo...... 131 Appendix 3 Additional Tables ...... 134 Appendix 4 Research Conclusions and Recommendations from Roundtable Presentations in Benin, Nigeria and Togo ...... 148
5 Acknowledgements
Dr. Alexis A. Aronowitz designed the research instruments, supervised the work of the sub- contracted research teams and is the author of the final report. This report is based on the following individual studies: