Human Trafficking and the Rights of Women in Cross River State: Law Enforcement Challenges

This research examines the legal framework governing human trafficking in Cross River State, South-South Nigeria, with particular focus on law enforcement challenges in protecting women's human rights. Nigeria is both a source and transit country for human trafficking, and Cross River State has been identified as a high-risk area. The study evaluates the effectiveness of Nigeria's Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act (TIPPEA) 2015 and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in the context of local realities. A qualitative research design is adopted, drawing on interviews with NAPTIP officials, law enforcement officers, survivors, and civil society representatives in Calabar and Ikom. The research also reviews documented prosecutorial records and conviction data from NAPTIP's Cross River office for 2020 to 2024. Findings indicate significant challenges in victim identification, witness protection, and interagency coordination, compounded by corruption within law enforcement ranks and inadequate resources for NAPTIP operations in the state. The study further highlights the role of poverty, limited education, and social vulnerability as enabling factors for traffickers. Recommendations include increased budgetary allocation for NAPTIP, community-level sensitization campaigns, and judicial training on trafficking-specific evidence protocols. Keywords: human trafficking, NAPTIP, women's rights, Cross River State, law enforcement.