Nigeria pledges to eliminate child labour

• Five get jail terms over human trafficking

Nigeria was not absent at the discussions at the International Labour Conference (ILC) committee on Application of Standards over Minimum Age Convention 1973 (No. 138), the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Clement Illoh has said.

Speaking on the side-line of the annual conference at the just concluded ILC in Geneva, Switzerland, Illoh said Nigeria was fully represented at the committee meeting.

He explained: “Nigeria was fully represented at the ILO Committee on Application of Standards. Nigeria was one of the countries invited to appear before the Committee on June 1, 2016, concerning Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138). The representation and defense by Nigeria is contained in the ILO C. App./PV.2 document dated June 1, 2016 from pages 14 to 23. The Committee was informed of Nigeria’s efforts to ensure that the articles of the ILO Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age for Employment are incorporated in the expected new National Labour Laws.”

He further added that Nigeria presented her comprehensive efforts at tackling the issues of child labour as contained in the National Child Labour Policy, list of Hazardous Child Labour in Nigeria and National Action Plan for Elimination of Child Labour (2013–2017).

Indeed, as part of the efforts at eliminating child labour in the country, Nigeria is amongst the first countries in Africa to ratify and implement the ILO Conventions on Minimum Age at Work (No. 138), and Worst Forms of Child Labour (No. 182). Also, the Child Rights Act is currently a National Law, which has been domesticated by a majority of state governments in Nigeria.

Illoh stressed that the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is unwavering in its determination to eradicate any form of child labour in the country.

Illoh has also congratulated Acting Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Ismail Agaka, on his election as a member of the Bureau of the International Social Security Association (ISSA).

Illoh, in a letter dated 13th June 2016, commended Agaka for the laudable feat while expressing pleasure that the Ag. MD has achieved that in such a short while in office.

“Your election as a member of the Bureau of ISSA is well deserved, and the Ministry hopes that this would spur you to greater heights in service of NSITF and the country in general,” the Permanent Secretary said.

Agaka was unanimously elected a member of the Bureau of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) in its 122nd meeting held in Geneva on the 25th of May 2016.

In a related development, a Federal High Court sitting in Kano today sentenced five persons to prison for committing various offences of human trafficking.
A statement by Head, Press and Public Relations of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP), Josiah Emerole, said the Court presided over by Hon. Justice Saleh Idrissa sentenced the accused to different jail terms. The convicts are Wasilu Umar (22years), Shafi’u Ali (29 years), Kamaludden Ya’u (22years), Dalhatu Gambo (34yrs) and Nuhu Ahmad (25 years).

Wasilu Umar who was sentenced to 2 years in prison on each of the two Counts charge, was found guilty of inducing a 16 years old girl to go to a brothel in Sumaila Local Government of Kano State without the consent of her parents and forced her into illicit intercourse with himself and other men; and moving the same girl from Kano to a brothel in Abuja without the consent of her parents knowing that she will be forced into illicit intercourse or prostitution with himself and other men.

All these are contrary to and punishable under section 15(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.Shafi’u Ali was sentenced to 2 years in prison having been found guilty of procuring an underage girl for prostitution and converting his rented room into a brothel where he had sex with her; procured other men to have sex with her and at the same time collected the proceeds of the illegitimate act from her.

This offence runs contrary to and punishable under section 16 (1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
Kamaludden was sentenced to 2 years in prison for inducing a 16 year old girl from Kano to a brothel in Abuja without the consent of her parents where he and other men had illicit intercourse with her thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 15(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

Dalhatu Gambo and Nuhu Ahmad were found guilty on the three Count- Charge preferred against them and were sentenced to three years each on each of the three counts. The three charges are: Connivance to move a 15 year old girl from Kano to Abuja where she performed as a dancer and prostitute and they collected the proceeds; Connivance to move another 16 year old girl from Kano to a brothel in Abuja where she was harboured and made to perform as a dancer and prostitute and all the proceeds collected by them; and connivance to move another 16 year old girl from Kaduna to a brothel in Abuja to perform as a dancer and prostitute, with the proceeds collected by them. These offences are contrary to Section 17(1)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

Reacting to these convictions from the Kano Zonal Command of the Agency, the Acting Director-General of the NAPTIP, Abdulrazak Dangiri commended Hon. Justice S. Idrissa for a good job. He expressed delight at the speed with which the cases were dealt with, adding that the latest convictions bring to seven the convicted traffickers from Kano in recent times.