WOMEN BEHIND THE SCENES: MADAMS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Madams are often former trafficking survivors who transformed into recruiters and facilitators of human trafficking, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation. They recruited vulnerable Nigerian women by promising legitimate employment opportunities abroad, primarily in Europe and the Middle East, but instead subjected them to sexual exploitation and forced labour under crushing debts. These women often swear oaths, sometimes involving juju rituals, binding them to exploitative debt bondage agreements. The paper aims to expose and critically analyse the central, yet frequently hidden, roles that women, particularly “madams,” play in organising, facilitating, and perpetuating human trafficking in Nigeria, especially for sexual exploitation.  This paper adopted the doctrinal research method in conducting the present research. The doctrinal research method is primarily about the examination and discussion of legal doctrines, legal principles, and legal propositions.  This paper observed the challenges to the simplistic narrative that traffickers are solely ruthless men coercing passive victims. The paper posited that the human trafficking journey is perilous, involving dangerous routes through Niger and Libya, where victims endure violence, detention, and abuse before reaching Europe. This paper highlighted that despite the severe trauma, survivors face inadequate protection and support upon return to Nigeria.  This paper found that the recent high-profile arrests, such as that of Christiana Uadiale (“Christy Gold”), highlighted the organised nature of human trafficking syndicates exploiting spiritual beliefs and imposing brutal control over victims.  This paper concluded that madams play a major^[1] and coercive role in trafficking networks by controlling and exploiting women through violence, debt bondage, and traditional rituals, perpetuating trauma and abuse that trap victims in cycles of forced prostitution and labour both within Nigeria and abroad. This paper recommended that addressing human trafficking in Nigeria requires a nuanced understanding of the roles women play both as victims and perpetrators, the socioeconomic drivers behind human trafficking, and the need for policies that consider the perspectives of all actors involved to break this cycle of exploitation.