Human Trafficking and Legal Responses: An Assessment of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Law Enforcement and Administration Act in Edo State

Edo State in South South Nigeria is internationally recognised as a major source zone for trans-national and domestic human trafficking, with thousands of young women and girls annually trafficked to Europe and within West Africa under conditions of exploitation. The Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition, Law Enforcement and Administration) Act 2015 represents the primary federal legislative response to this crisis, supplemented by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons enforcement framework. This study assesses the legal framework for combating human trafficking in Edo State, examining the adequacy of the NAPTIP Act, state-level legislative supplements, and the prosecution records of NAPTIP's Benin City zonal office between 2018 and 2023. A doctrinal and case study methodology is adopted, reviewing the federal Act, Edo State Trafficking Law, NAPTIP annual reports, and judicial decisions from the Edo State High Court. The study evaluates victim protection provisions, international cooperation mechanisms, and the role of civil society in anti-trafficking enforcement. Available trafficking law literature from South South Nigeria identifies cultural acceptance of trafficking through the Juju ritual control mechanism, inadequate victim shelter capacity, and insufficient international legal assistance as the principal enforcement gaps. The 3P Anti-Trafficking Framework of Prevention, Prosecution, and Protection guides the analysis. Recommendations address community legal education, victim support infrastructure, and stronger bilateral extradition arrangements. Keywords: human trafficking, NAPTIP, Edo State, anti-trafficking law, South South Nigeria.