United States says some women and children rescued from Boko Haram were returned to abusers, citing systemic corruption and weak protections in Nigeria.
Nigeria is facing intensified scrutiny from the United States over its handling of human trafficking, with a recent U.S. State Department report accusing federal and state authorities of returning victims to their captors, including Boko Haram fighters.
The 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report paints a troubling picture of Nigeria’s response to modern slavery. While the country maintains a Tier 2 ranking — indicating some progress — the assessment highlights persistent gaps in meeting minimum international standards for protecting trafficking victims.
One of the report’s most alarming revelations is that women and children rescued from Boko Haram or identified as trafficking victims were, in some cases, sent back to abusive “husbands” or traffickers. Inadequate screening procedures reportedly left internally displaced persons, children forced into begging, and women accused of links to armed groups at heightened risk of further exploitation.
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The State Department’s review also underscores deep-seated corruption within Nigeria’s law enforcement and judicial systems. Some officials were reportedly complicit in trafficking, either accepting bribes or obstructing investigations, while security personnel in and around Maiduguri — the epicenter of Nigeria’s conflict with Boko Haram — were accused of sexually exploiting displaced individuals, including minors.
While Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has demoted or dismissed several officials for misconduct in recent years, the report notes that prosecutions remain rare. During the reporting period, only one Nigerian Immigration Service official was charged with sex trafficking. Courts, the report says, often fail to deliver justice due to judicial corruption, inconsistent training, and misapplication of law, leaving most trafficking cases unresolved.
Human rights advocates warn that these findings expose systemic vulnerabilities in a nation already grappling with conflict, widespread poverty, and one of the world’s largest internally displaced populations. “Without urgent reforms, victims will continue to face grave risks, and traffickers will operate with impunity,” the report concluded.
The TIP report calls on Nigeria to strengthen judicial accountability, improve victim protection measures, and tackle corruption within law enforcement. International observers emphasize that meaningful progress will require sustained political will and comprehensive reforms to safeguard the country’s most vulnerable populations.
Africa Daily News, New York
