The Senate has ordered a comprehensive, multi-agency investigation into travel agencies allegedly involved in the illegal trafficking, slavery, and exploitation of Nigerian citizens in Libya.
The directive followed the formal consideration and adoption of a joint committee report presented during plenary on Tuesday, 27th October, by Senator Anthony Yaro (APC: Gombe). The report was jointly compiled by the Committees on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters; Foreign Affairs; and Special Duties, stemming from a motion on the urgent need to protect Nigerians from human rights violations abroad.
To ensure a decisive crackdown, the Senate outlined several major resolutions aimed at curbing illegal migration networks and protecting victims:
- The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has been mandated to lead a joint investigation alongside the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- The inquiry will interrogate executives, officers, and agents of suspected travel agencies, examining their recruitment channels, financial transactions and logistical arrangements connected to human trafficking.
- The Senate called for strict enforcement and review of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and the Child Rights Act, 2003, alongside increased funding for NAPTIP to enhance prosecutions and victim relief.
- Lawmakers recommended the creation of a National Reintegration and Protection Programme to assist returning victims. This program will be co-managed by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and NAPTIP.
The Senate urged the Federal Government to step up bilateral and multilateral engagements with Libyan authorities to disrupt trafficking networks while establishing safe, legal migration alternatives.
The consideration of the trafficking report sparked a broader discussion regarding internal security, with several lawmakers highlighting how unverified short-let rentals and weak tenancy regulations allow transnational criminal elements to operate undetected within Nigeria.
Landlords who rent properties to unidentified individuals could inadvertently provide cover for criminal activities,
advocating for a mandatory “Know-Your-Tenant” policy and stricter deterrent measures similar to state-level anti-kidnapping legislation.Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Contributing to the debate:
Sen. Aminu Tambuwal (ADC: Sokoto) called for mandatory tenant registration, background checks, rent controls, and proof of ownership, urging state houses of assembly to adopt similar frameworks.
Sen. Babangida Hussaini (APC: Jigawa) suggested referencing Lagos State’s current tenancy law as a viable framework for broader adoption.
Sen. Adams Oshiomhole (APC: Edo) emphasized the highly organized, international nature of trafficking and stressed the importance of addressing foreign demand in destination countries.
Sen. Neda Imasuen (APC: Edo) offered a dissenting view, arguing that Nigeria’s primary challenge is not a lack of legislation, but rather the failure to rigorously enforce existing laws.
The Senate reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of Nigerians both at home and abroad, pledging continued legislative oversight to ensure full enforcement of its directives.
