Titi Atiku decries trafficking, says Nigerian girls becoming nuisance abroad
Titi Atiku Abubakar, wife of the former VP, has decried human trafficking, saying Nigerian girls are becoming a nuisance in foreign countries. Read More:…
Human trafficking remains one of Nigeria's most persistent social and criminal challenges, with the country long identified as a major source, transit and destination point for trafficked persons, particularly young women and girls lured abroad with promises of jobs, education or marriage before being forced into exploitative labour or sex work. Edo State and other parts of southern Nigeria have historically been flagged by anti-trafficking agencies such as NAPTIP as hotspots for recruitment networks that move victims through North Africa into Europe and the Gulf states.
Titi Atiku Abubakar has for years positioned herself as an advocate on the issue through her Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), engaging in campaigns and partnerships aimed at rescue, rehabilitation and public awareness. Her latest remarks, describing trafficked Nigerian girls as becoming a "nuisance" abroad, touch on the broader reputational and diplomatic fallout trafficking has had for Nigerians overseas, a recurring theme in advocacy circles though one that has also drawn criticism for appearing to blame victims rather than the traffickers and systemic failures that enable the trade. Vanguard and Punch both report her comments similarly, with neither outlet detailing specific new policy proposals, statistics, or the event at which she spoke.