Critical Appraisal of Human Trafficking Through Airport Passage

1.1 Introduction

Human trafficking is the illegal commerce and trade of people. It is essentially the facet of slavery which relies on direct purchase in contrast to the “natural increase” from enslaving the children of slaves. Human trafficking transport persons across international borders or within countries to exploit them for labor or sex, has received renewed attention within the last two decades. Trafficking for forced labor or sexual exploitation is believed to be one of the fastest growing areas of criminal activity. Combating trafficking has become an increasingly important priority for many governments around the world (Laczko 2005).

The United Nations (UN) defines “trafficking in persons” as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboruring ort receipt of persons by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion of abduction of fraud of deceptions, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments achieve the consent of a person, having control over another person's for the purpose of exploitation.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.

1.2 Background of Study

Aviation industry is one of the major important sectors in the global transportation industry. Its continuous development and technological service improvement make the sector to be a major contributor to the modern and global standard of advanced development in transportation sector. The growth of this sector cannot be compared with any other major transport sector due to its sophisticated technological equipment and continuous innovation in the sector because of its haul of vehicle (Aircraft) that it uses as a carrying system. With the help of this sector, much has been achieved throughout the world in terms of economic development, tourism, connectivity, communication, logistics and supply chain activities (Button, 2008).

Airline’s major factor in choosing airport is the demand from passengers which could be due to the characteristics of the city where the airport is located (for instance, commercial cities, tourist towns, cultural values and so on). Also, airport charges, which constitutes a small part of the airlines cost, is another factor influencing an airline choice of airport as most airlines rely on long term strategies. So, airport productivity and efficiency study help airlines in airport choice decision making (Ulku, 2009).

Human trafficking is an ugly fact of our society that is prevalent even today. Human trafficking is a world-wide problematic issue. Over the years, it has metamorphose into frig teeming growth rate, having reached its peak and without showing sign of reduction in parts of Africa, Eastern, Europe, the Caribbean's and Latin American countries. It is crucial to note that the increase on the cases of human trafficking in Nigeria is due to the undaunted efforts of the operators and profiteers of the business who are quick to cite unprecedented poverty and the near absence of the basic necessities of life as their driving force.

Human trafficking has brought poor reputation in the state. our main economic problem is human trafficking., since we began on the path of nationhood or society. The main obstacle for striding bodily on this path has been the human trafficking problem because of unemployment. As a result of this, there has been for the past few years steady drift away of young men into other countries. This has the chain result of our society being left under populated or underdeveloped.

Additionally, Nigeria has been bedeviled by myriad of problem most of the problems can be attributed to the pervasiveness of some of the ills that hamper the attainment of the development of the society. As a result of ills that currently hampers the development of the country; human trafficking has become widespread and now occupied a preeminent position among the ills that pervade the Nigeria society.

Human trafficking is considered to be modern day slavery where many children and women are force fully or fraudulently recruited, transported and harbored for sexual or labour exploitation. The victims of human trafficking are usually made to provide sex under threat and without consent. However, they are also used as labors to work in field and fisheries, sweep shops or as domestic helps. Thirdly, human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world with the total annual revenue for trafficking in persons, not less than two hundred and fifty thousand persons, mostly female (i.e. 60% persons ranging from 12 years-18 years, while 40% persons above 18 years are trafficked across the Nigerian borders yearly especially in Oredo, Edo State and other part of Edo State. The business of trafficking in human beings is today organized by groups that are also involved in weapons and narcotics colluding with government officials in dozen countries. There is very little doubt that it is in curative business and maybe one of the most difficult to combat. They are less visible than those caused by gun running and trafficking. Exploiting the poverty and low status of women in the developing world, middle men are able to bring together the supply and demand for cheap labour and sex in ways that linkable not long ago. Though, the fact of human trafficking is not difficult to understand on its own, its dimension and categorization continue to multiply by the day.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Critical Appraisal of Human Trafficking through Airport Passage.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that the mass exodus of youths from Nigeria and, indeed, other Sub-Saharan African and Asian countries to the economically advanced nations of Europe and America encouraged the emergence of syndicates who devised methods for enticing would-be trafficked persons.

In the case of Nigeria specifically, the syndicates developed very strong and dependable network for effective organization, recruitment and movement of would-be trafficked persons from their local communities to North Africa across the perilous Sahara Desert. Most Nigerian victims of human trafficking pass through Niger, Mali, Tunisia, Morocco or Libya en route to Europe. It is in view of this trend that the researcher intends to investigate the impact of human trafficking through airport passage.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to critically appraise the impact of human trafficking through airport passage. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To determine if the level of human trafficking through airport passage hinder development in the area under study;
2. To examine the effects of human trafficking through airport passage in the area under study;
3. To enumerate the various types of human trafficking in the area under study;
4. To examine the causes of human trafficking in the study area; and
5. To proffer solution to the effects and causes of human trafficking through airport passage.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does high level of human trafficking through airport passage hinder development?
• Does the poor standard of living bring about human trafficking?
• Does high illiteracy level bring human trafficking?
• Does human trafficking brings about frustration among the youth in the study area?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis Two

• H0: Human trafficking through airport passage does not have any negative impact on the image of Nigeria in the committee of Nation
• H1: Human trafficking through airport passage has negative impact on the image of Nigeria in the committee of Nation

1.7 Significance of Study

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to NAPTIP (national agency for prohibition of traffic in person) as the study seeks to enumerate the dangers of human trafficking on the economic growth of Nigeria.

• The study will be of great importance to the management of immigration study as the study seeks to enumerate on the dangers of illegal movement of persons outside the shores of Nigeria,
• It will be of great importance to researchers, who intend to embark on study in a similar topic as the study will serve as a reference point,
• Finally, the study will also be of great importance to student, lecturers, teachers and the general public as the findings will add to existing literature.

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Critical Appraisal of Human Trafficking through Airport Passage.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this research work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this establishment to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Research Material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
5. Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.

1.10 Definition of Terms

Some words are defined or described to show their meaning as used in this study;

Human:

It is the process of having to do with mankind as opposed to God or animals of persons having the qualities feelings.

Trafficking:

It is the movement of people along road and streets, of an aircraft in the sky, a transport business done by a railway, steamship line etc trading and commerce.