On this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) stands in solidarity with victims and survivors of human trafficking and calls for urgent, collective action against one of the most organised forms of modern-day slavery.
As a Centre committed to exposing human rights violations through investigative journalism, WSCIJ recognises that uncovering the hidden networks that profit from exploitation is essential to ending impunity and advancing justice.
This year’s theme, “Human trafficking is organised crime – End the exploitation,” is a reminder that trafficking is a calculated and profit-driven enterprise, often enabled by weak systems, corruption and silence.
To dismantle these networks, we must treat trafficking not merely as a humanitarian issue but as a criminal enterprise requiring systemic disruption. For WSCIJ, this includes supporting journalists to investigate and expose trafficking rings, uncover complicity at all levels and push for reforms that prioritise victim protection over blame.
Over the years, WSCIJ has supported and celebrated journalists who have courageously reported on trafficking and migration issues. In 2014, the investigative story titled ‘Inside Nigeria’s Ruthless Human Trafficking Mafia,’ by Tobore Ovuorie, won the Report Women category of the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR).
The piece was an unflinching look into the operations of trafficking rings in Nigeria, showing the sheer scale of exploitation and institutional neglect.
In 2023, Sharon Ijasan received the WSAIR award in the TV category for her story, ‘Human trafficking sad realities of trafficked Nigerians in Libya, West Africa.’ The story exposed the route many traffickers ply; brought to the fore that traffickers collaborate with transporters to perpetuate the crime; revealed the trafficker of a survivor, and uncovered the sex camp where Nigerian girls are forced to sell their bodies.
Beyond awards, WSCIJ continues to build the capacity of journalists to report migration and trafficking issues more ethically and rigorously. In 2019, we partnered with UNESCO to organise a two-day Masterclass on Migration Reporting for 22 journalists.
The training explored migration as a multi-layered issue with strong links to trafficking. Experts took participants through topics such as migration laws, organ trafficking, and safety tips for journalists reporting on human trafficking.
In addition, data from WSCIJ’s Missing Data, Missing Justice report paints a gendered picture of the issue as it shows how human trafficking continues to affect women and girls across Nigeria.
According to the report, human trafficking accounted for 3.95% of all stories focused on women and girls,
WSCIJ calls on all relevant stakeholders, including the government, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, civil society, international partners and the media to take urgent and coordinated action to dismantle the complex networks that fuel human trafficking.
We urge the government to demonstrate stronger political will by strengthening legal and policy frameworks, resourcing enforcement agencies, holding perpetrators accountable regardless of their status and offering adequate support to survivors.
We also call on civil society and development actors to intensify advocacy, public education and survivor-centred support systems, while working hand-in-hand with journalists to push for structural reforms. We encourage newsrooms to prioritise trafficking coverage, build the capacity of journalists to report safely and ethically and invest in investigative reporting that reveals the hidden economies of exploitation.
Signed,
Motunrayo Alaka
Executive Director/CEO, WSCIJ
