PERCEPTIONS OF STATE AND NON-STATE ACTORS ON NIGERIA’S COMPLIANCE WITH UNITED NATIONS ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROTOCOL

Abstract

United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Supplementing Protocols is the major international treaty that define and guide state action against Trafficking in Person (TIP) and it enjoyed the state parties to criminalized TIP, Prevent TIP, protect victims of TIP, prosecute human traffickers and Promote Partnership in the fight against TIP. This study examined the perception of state and non-state actors on Nigeria’s compliance with UN anti-human trafficking Protocol, using qualitative research methodology. The study is aimed to answer why and under what conditions does Nigeria complied with the Protocol? The study is situated within Hegemonic theory of International Relation to explain whether the country was forced by hegemonic state to comply or the failure to honor the Protocol might hurts the country’s image and reputation. Twenty-four participants from Government Official, International Governmental Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations were interviewed. Based on the perception of the participants four themes emerged (1) Compliance Based on International Pressure, (2) Compliance to promote International Image, (3) Compliance to fulfill constitutional responsibility and (4) Compliance to integrate anti-human trafficking actions. The study contributed in advancing the discussion of Hegemonic Stability Theory to Nigeria’s compliance to UN Human Trafficking Protocol.