SPEAKER ABBAS SOLICITS NIGERIA-ITALY COALITION TO STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Read Time:3 Minute, 57 Second
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has urged Nigeria and Italy to work more closely together to fight human trafficking, especially the smuggling of Nigerian women to Italy.
He made this statement on Wednesday during a visit to his office in Abuja, where he met with the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Roberto Mengoni.
Abbas pointed out that while Italy is one of the main places where Nigerian migrants go in Europe, it has also become a key path for traffickers who take advantage of vulnerable Nigerian people.
In a statement from the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, Abbas said, “Regarding migration, which you just mentioned, considering that Nigeria has 137,000 migrants living in your country, it’s a matter that deserves attention.”
“I also want to bring up one thorny issue that the governments of Italy and Nigeria have been addressing over the years, and that is the issue of human trafficking, particularly of women. Italy has remained one of the major destinations for trafficking over the last 30 years.
“I hope and sincerely believe that under your leadership here, Nigeria and Italy will continue to push and push until we eradicate this very serious menace. It is something that is a big stigma to our country, and I am sure it is the same thing with the government of Italy,” the Speaker said.
For more than three decades, Nigerian authorities and international agencies have battled organised trafficking networks that transport mostly young women through dangerous migration routes across the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean into Italy and other parts of Europe. Many victims are reportedly lured with promises of jobs and better living conditions before being forced into prostitution, debt bondage,, and other forms of exploitation.
The trafficking network, which became especially well–known in the late 1990s and early 2000s, has seen repeated actions from Nigerian anti–trafficking groups, Italian officials, and international organizations.
Even though there have been arrests and cooperation between countries, experts say that poverty, joblessness, weak border systems, and the work of criminal groups across borders still keep the trafficking trade going.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has found that Edo State and parts of southern Nigeria are key areas where traffickers recruit people for operations aimed at Europe, especially Italy.
In recent years, hundreds of victims have been sent back from Libya and Italy through supported return programs.
Abbas said Nigeria wants to build stronger ties with Italy, not only on migration issues but also in health, education, energy, and economic and political relations.
He mentioned that one of the projects he started while leading the House was creating friendship groups with 78 countries, including Italy.
“There are so many wonderful things happening in the area of economy between Nigeria and Italy,” he said.
The Speaker also referenced the proposed Nigeria-Italy Binational Commission being championed by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to strengthen cooperation on security and economic matters between both countries.
While describing Nigeria as a country blessed with abundant human resources, Abbas urged the Italian government to support favourable immigration policies that would create legal migration opportunities for skilled Nigerians.
“Your country (Italy) is one of the most important countries to Nigeria. Our history, our journey, politically, has been a very long one. For us, we grew up knowing several Italian companies, especially big players in the construction industry. So, Italy is a household name in Nigeria, and I want to emphatically say that we in the House are very appreciative of the very wonderful relationship between Nigeria and Italy.
“I’m also happy to hear, for the first time, that Nigeria has one of the largest immigrant populations in the EU, which is a record. It goes to show the accommodating nature of the Italian people to Africans,” he said.
Earlier, Ambassador Mengoni said he assumed duty in Nigeria in October 2025 and was engaging key stakeholders as part of efforts to deepen bilateral relations between the two, countries.
The envoy said the Italian Embassy was committed to “taking care of and developing more and more relationships with Nigeria,” especially in political and cultural areas.
While emphasising growing commercial and social ties between the two countries, the ambassador called for stronger exchanges between African and European nations.
Mengoni also recalled President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Rome for an international conference on counter-terrorism, noting that Nigeria and Italy “share common interests.”
“We hope to see more visits in the near future,” he said.
The ambassador further stressed the importance of democratic governance and the rule of law, saying both countries could continue to share ideas and institutional experiences in those areas.
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