Traite: Titi Atiku déplore que les filles nigérianes deviennent "une nuisance" à l'étranger

Titi Atiku Abubakar, wife of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), has criticized the growing number of Nigerian girls migrating abroad, calling them a "nuisance" in their host countries. She made the remarks during a public presentation in Abuja on Thursday, discussing NACTAL's review of the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report issued by the United States Department of State. According to her, the international support for Nigeria's anti-trafficking efforts stems from a desire to keep Nigerian girls within the country instead of allowing them to become burdens elsewhere. Atiku Abubakar stated that international partners are assisting Nigeria not only in its anti-trafficking initiatives but also in ensuring that the girls can thrive domestically. "They are supporting us, they are supporting the girls," she said. "They want them to stay at home and do whatever they want to do in their homes, in their country." She emphasized the need for increased collaboration among civil society organizations, noting that NACTAL alone cannot effectively address issues such as human trafficking, abuse, and child labor. "We have about 286 foot soldiers, those are the CSOs working with NACTAL," she explained. "So we must bring everybody on board to help in this fight." Abdulganiu Abubakar, the immediate past president of NACTAL and regional representative of the West African Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, noted that the contributions of the Nigerian government, development partners, and civil society organizations were underrepresented in the U.S. report. He mentioned that NACTAL commissioned a review following the report's release to assess Nigeria's efforts in victim protection, rehabilitation, and shelter provision. Development partners have supported policy development, provided assistance to victims, and helped refurbish shelters operated by civil society organizations and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). Approximately 10 NAPTIP shelters have benefited from such refurbishment efforts, though these contributions were not adequately highlighted in the U.S. report. Abubakar acknowledged ongoing challenges in implementing anti-trafficking policies in Nigeria, including insufficient funding, weak political will, and difficulties in prosecuting high-profile cases. He urged the federal government to increase financial support for relevant ministries, departments, and agencies and to demonstrate stronger commitment to enforcing existing policies. He also called for an enabling environment for civil society organizations and development partners to operate independently while complementing government efforts. Additionally, he encouraged the government to recognize the roles played by over 289 NACTAL member organizations and Nigeria's involvement in regional anti-trafficking initiatives in West Africa. NACTAL President Osita Osemene announced plans to expand the network from approximately 286 civil society organizations to 500 within three months and at least 1,000 within a year. This expansion will include capacity-building programs aimed at strengthening support for victims and vulnerable populations. "The fight against human trafficking is a collective responsibility," Osemene said. "Everybody must come together to ensure that this fight is won."