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As human trafficking grows more complex across Africa merging with ritual crimes, or­gan trade, and cyber exploita­tion , Lagos is emerging as the continent’s strongest legal and institutional defender. With bold laws, coordinated enforcement, and continental partnerships, the state is redefining Africa’s justice response to one of its deepest moral and human crises.

In what legal observers have described as a defining moment in Africa’s war against modern slav­ery, the Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its position as the continent’s legal frontrunner in the battle against human trafficking, ritual killings, and organ harvest­ing

At the heart of this renewed drive is the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, who recently reiterated the state’s commitment to using law, technol­ogy, and partnerships to dismantle trafficking networks and protect the dignity of human life.

Pedro, speaking during a multi-agency engagement on an­ti-trafficking initiatives, declared that Lagos would not only lead Ni­geria but also serve as a model for Africa in developing sustainable legal responses to the trafficking crisis.

“We are building a system where human life is sacred, where justice is swift, and where traffickers can find no refuge under the law,” the Attorney General stated.

He emphasised that the state’s current approach is anchored on three pillars — strong legislation, effective enforcement, and survi­vor rehabilitation , forming what he called “a holistic justice path­way” that addresses both the crime and its social roots.

Lagos, through its Task Force Against Human Trafficking, has rescued hundreds of victims in recent years, provided rehabilita­tion, and prosecuted offenders un­der the state’s strengthened legal framework.

The introduction of the Organ Harvesting Prohibition Law 2024 further fortified this structure, im­posing severe penalties on anyone involved in human organ trade, rit­ual exploitation, or related crimes.

The law, which criminalises not only the act of organ removal but also financial benefit or medical complicity, has been hailed by hu­man rights lawyers as one of the boldest legal steps in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to Attorney General Pedro, the state is determined to make justice “visible and measur­able.” He revealed that Lagos is currently deepening partnerships with regional and international agencies, including the Nation­al Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Sudreau Global Justice In­stitute of Pepperdine University, to enhance prosecution, intelligence sharing, and victim support.

“Human trafficking is not just a legal issue; it is a moral battle and a developmental crisis,” Pedro not­ed. “Our focus is to build laws that protect, systems that respond, and societies that no longer tolerate ex­ploitation in any form.”

Adding his voice, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr. Hameed Oyenuga, described the Lagos model as one built on structure, discipline, and data-driven results. He explained that the Ministry is pursuing an inter-agency coordination strategy that brings together prosecutors, investigators, and social welfare officers under one operational framework.

“Our mission is not rhetoric but results,” Oyenuga said. “We are equipping our task force with tools, training, and partnerships to en­sure that every case of trafficking is pursued to its logical conclusion — from rescue to reintegration.”

He further highlighted the sig­nificance of community engage­ment and preventive education, noting that awareness alone is not enough.

“We are moving from conversa­tions to capacity,” he said. “We have trained over a hundred communi­ty advocates across local councils, who now serve as first responders and whistleblowers in vulnerable communities.”

Human Trafficking and Ritual Crimes: A Growing Convergence

Experts warn that human traf­ficking in Nigeria has evolved into a complex network that often inter­sects with ritual killings and organ trade. Victims, mostly women and children, are lured with promises of employment or spiritual deliv­erance, only to end up in cycles of violence, exploitation, or death.

The National Bureau of Statis­tics reported that over 150 ritual-re­lated killings were recorded within the first half of 2025, many linked to trafficking syndicates operating across states and borders.

According to data from NAPTIP, traffickers now rely heavily on digi­tal tools and social media to recruit victims. The agency also reports an alarming rise in ritual-linked traf­ficking, where oath-taking and fe­tish rituals are used to control vic­tims psychologically — replacing physical chains with spiritual fear.

At the continental level, the Di­rector-General of NAPTIP, Mrs. Binta Adamu Bello, has consistent­ly called for stronger intergovern­mental coordination, describing human trafficking as a transna­tional enterprise worth over $230 billion annually in illegal profits.

Speaking on recent collabora­tive efforts with Lagos, Bello com­mended the state’s commitment to both enforcement and survivor protection. She outlined NAPTIP’s five-point approach — Policy, Pre­vention, Protection, Prosecution, and Partnerships — as the founda­tion for Africa’s unified response.

“Lagos has become a beacon of hope and a model of practical justice,” Bello said. “Our shared goal is to strengthen institutions and harmonise laws across Afri­can states so that traffickers find no safe haven.”

She added that technology, cross-border intelligence, and sur­vivor-centred justice systems will define the next phase of Africa’s anti-trafficking framework.

The Lagos State Task Force Against Human Trafficking con­tinues to stand out for its inte­grated strategy that combines law enforcement, social work, and re­habilitation. Victims are provided with shelter, counselling, medical care, and vocational training, en­suring that rescue is followed by recovery.

For survivors like those res­cued from trafficking rings in 2024 and 2025, Lagos offers a pathway back to normalcy. The emphasis, according to officials, is not just on punishment but on restoration — rebuilding lives broken by ex­ploitation.

This approach, analysts say, reflects a maturing justice system that understands that deterrence alone is insufficient. By prioritis­ing rehabilitation, Lagos is attack­ing the root causes of vulnerability — poverty, ignorance, and desper­ation — which traffickers exploit.

Collaborating for Continental Re­sponse

The Lagos initiative has gained traction beyond Nigeria’s borders, with several African states express­ing interest in adopting similar le­gal and institutional frameworks. Through its partnership with NAP­TIP and the Sudreau Global Justice Institute, the state is working to standardise best practices across the continent — from prosecution templates to witness protection protocols.

This regional collaboration aims to close jurisdictional gaps that allow traffickers to evade jus­tice by moving victims or profits across borders. It also seeks to create a unified African position on trafficking-related legislation, ensuring that the crime attracts consistent and severe punishment everywhere on the continent.

As Lagos deepens its commit­ment, experts insist that govern­ment alone cannot win the war. The responsibility, they argue, lies with society — families, religious leaders, traditional institutions, and the media — to reject the myths and materialism that feed the trade in human beings.

Attorney General Pedro echoed this sentiment, saying the time has come for Africa to defend its humanity through its laws. “When a society begins to sell its own peo­ple, it loses its soul,” he warned. “We must rise together to end this moral and legal tragedy.”

From the corridors of justice in Lagos to the offices of NAPTIP and allied institutions across Africa, a new consensus is emerging: that the trafficking of humans is not just a criminal act but a violation of the continent’s conscience.

In this continental struggle, La­gos is not just a participant, it is leading from the front, using the power of law to protect life, restore dignity, and inspire a justice move­ment that Africa desperately needs.