From 2006-2009, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) implemented the Combating Trafficking in Persons program in Nigeria. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development, the program sought to help build the anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) capacity of law enforcement agencies and to help provide support to trafficked victims.
To achieve these goals, ABA ROLI worked in cooperation with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the National Judicial Institute, and local non-governmental organizations in a wide range of initiatives including:
- Providing anti-TIP training for prosecutors, judges, police officers, and immigration officers
- Developing anti-TIP curriculum materials for the police and immigration training institutions
- Providing training for counselors at NAPTIP shelters in counseling skills, trauma and post-traumatic stress management
- Providing logistical support to the NAPTIP Shelter in Lagos
In Nigeria, more than 3,000 police officers were trained on identifying human trafficking victims and on collecting evidence to support prosecutions. The program developed a national human trafficking database and provided vocational and other training to victims. ABA ROLI’s program is widely credited for assisting in the development of one of Africa’s most effective anti-human trafficking agencies.
Law Enforcement Training
In collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), the National Judicial Institute, the police, and immigration, ABA ROLI organized training sessions in different parts of the country for members of the bar and the bench; police officers who will act as trainers in the various Police training schools in the country; and immigration officers from the anti-human trafficking units of the immigration services and trainers in the immigration training schools.
The training programs included presentations on:
- General Introduction and Overview of Trafficking in Persons
- International Legal Regime of TIP
- Provisions of Nigeria’s Anti-TIP legislation
- Trans-National Nature of TIP and the jurisdiction of Nigerian courts
- Management of traffic in persons cases, from arrest through prosecution to rehabilitation
- Adjudicating TIP Cases: Jurisdiction, Procedure, and Sentencing issues
- Investigation and Evidence Gathering in TIP cases
- Human Trafficking and National Security
- Detection of Forged Documents
- Training Methodology
The objectives of the training sessions were to:
- Sensitize both the Bar and the Bench on TIP so that they will recognize the need for the protection of rights of the victims of TIP
- To increase the participants knowledge of TIP
- To build the participants capacity to identify, intercept and investigate TIP cases
- To equip trainers with training methods and techniques
Developing anti-TIP Curriculum Materials
ABA ROLI’s Nigeria office also supported the anti-trafficking unit of the Nigerian Police force in the development of anti-TIP curriculum materials for the Police training schools. ABA ROLI worked in collaboration with the Anti Human Trafficking and Child Labor unit of the Nigeria Immigration Services to develop anti-TIP curriculum materials for the NIS training schools.
Providing Training for Counselors at NAPTIP Shelter
ABA ROLI’s Nigeria office provided training to NAPTIP’s counseling staff to build their capacity to assist TIP victims, who are received at the various NAPTIP shelters to recover from the trauma of having been trafficked.
The objectives of the workshop were to enable the counselors to:
- Have an in-depth understanding of the trauma the victims of human trafficking experience
- Acquire practical skills in identifying and evaluating the trauma of victims
- Acquire necessary practical skills that will enable them to alleviate the trauma of victims
The workshop included sessions on:
- Concepts, characteristics and manifestation of trauma in victims of human trafficking
- Identification of trauma in victims through behavioral assessment
- Interview techniques in counseling
- Establishing rapport with victims
- Enhancing the communication skills of counselors
- Basic Psychotherapy for Counselors
Providing Logistical Support to the NAPTIP Shelter
ABA ROLI provided support to the NAPTIP shelter in Lagos to help meet the basic logistical needs of the shelter residents, including food, personal toiletries, etc.
Providing Support for Trafficking Victims to Undergo Skills Acquisition Training
Through partnerships with NAPTIP Benin and Idia Renaissance, a local NGO in Benin City, ABA ROLI provided assistance for vocational training programs for TIP victims in Benin City. The courses include catering, fashion design, and computer training. These skills helped victims become economically self-sufficient, and thereby reduce their risk of being re-trafficked.