Nigerian Govt Can’t Tackle Trafficking Cartel Let Alone Boko Haram – CNN Reporter, Nima Elbagir

CNN undercover reporter, Nima Elbagir has described the Nigerian government as no match to human trafficking cartel in the country, adding that a government which cannot curtail an organised human trafficking cartel could not fight an insurgent group like Boko Haram.


Elbagir made the remarks while giving a blow by blow accounts of her findings during her recent undercover expedition to Nigeria to unravel the scope and pattern of much talked-about illegal migration from Nigeria to Europe en route Libya.

The programme, which was anchored by Amanpour, highlighted the socio-economic nexus of illegal migration and laxity on the part of government of Nigeria to contain the ugly trend. 

According to Elbagir, human trafficking in Nigeria is an organized cartel and well coordinated business which makes it practically difficult, if not impossible to be tackled by the Nigerian government.

She explained that her undercover discovery revealed that human trafficking is a multi-billion naira business in Nigeria, ran by powerful individuals with strong connections.

“Human trafficking is a big cartel in Nigeria, with returns of over 10 billion naira annually, it is a very organised and well coordinated cartel which made it difficult for Nigerian government to curb.

“It is revealing to know that use of rape by these smugglers is very rampant, and almost becoming a norm, it is really shocking and inhumane.

“We have reached out to Nigerian government on these findings and they agreed that the government is aware of this and working assiduously to put an end to it.

“One continue to wonder how a government that find it difficult to check human trafficking could curtail Boko Haram insurgency.

“Nigerian government must know that the major factor that make young people to be desperate of living the country for greener pasture is poverty and uncertain future, the government, in finding lasting solution to the problem must first and foremost tackle poverty and go after the trafficking cartel,” she said.

The anchor, Amanpour in her remarks, linked the scourge of human trafficking among young Nigerian youths to the general insecurity of girl-child in Nigeria, as she cited the abduction of over 200 girls from Government Girls’ Secondary School at Chibok, Borno state, and the recent kidnap of 110 school girls at a school in Dapchi, Yobe State.

Amanpour, in her remarks, however described Boko Haram as “Nigeria version of ISIS”.