The Activities of Ritual Killings and the Responses of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Fighting Cross Border Human Trafficking in Nigeria

Abstract

Ritual killings, linked with the complex web of cross-border human trafficking, represent a grim reality in Nigeria's socio-political landscape. This study delves into the nexus between these phenomena, unveiling their interconnectedness and the profound implications for individuals and society at large. Trafficked individuals have overtime been ensnared in clandestine networks of exploitation, become unwitting victims of ritualistic practices aimed at appeasing occult beliefs or fulfilling nefarious agendas. The intricate dynamics of cross-border trafficking exacerbate the vulnerability of victims, facilitating their exploitation and eventual victimization in ritual killings. This study therefore examined the activities of ritual killings, the causes, the efforts and the challenges of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in fighting cross border human trafficking in Nigeria. The study is premised on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the Routine Activity Theories. Using a mixed research method and survey design, the primary and secondary data collected were subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The causes of human trafficking were identified to range from political, cultural to social factors. The efforts of the NAPTIP were discovered to include investigation, arrest and prosecution, integration and rehabilitation while the challenges of NAPTIP were also noted to range from poor resource funding, lack of interagency cooperation and poor intelligence gathering. The study therefore recommends that there should be an interconnected activities in improving the status of NAPTIP in combatting cross border human trafficking in Nigeria.