By Denen Achussah
Human trafficking often starts with movement. For many survivors, though, the journey back home is just the beginning of another tough road — one filled with trauma, stigma, economic hardship, and the looming threat of being trafficked again.
The story of Benue Links (Nig.) Ltd., as shared by its General Manager, Alexander Fanafa, highlights how a state-owned transport company can play a vital role in the battle against human trafficking and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
Fanafa’s insights reveal that the company’s role has shifted from merely transporting passengers to utilising its buses, terminals, drivers, and monitoring staff as early-warning systems against trafficking.
Prevention starts at the terminal
Fanafa recalls that his awareness of trafficking began with a training session in 2014 organised by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for key transport operators in Benue.
What happened next was particularly impactful. Instead of keeping this knowledge to himself, he took the initiative to conduct a step-down training for monitoring officers, equipping them to spot potential signs of trafficking.
He explains that suspicious patterns might include an adult travelling with several children who have different last names, inconsistencies in their stories, language barriers, and an inability to explain their relationship or destination clearly.
From an SGBV-sensitive viewpoint, this approach is crucial because children and young women being moved for labour or sexual exploitation may not initially see themselves as victims. Some might think they are heading towards job opportunities, education, or a better life.
This is why having trained transport workers can be key in identifying victims before they fall into exploitation.
It’s important to remember that these indicators shouldn’t be seen as definitive proof of trafficking. Instead, they should prompt thoughtful, non-judgmental questions aimed at safeguarding, along with referrals to the right authorities. Confrontation, public accusations, or separation can only add to a child’s trauma, and that’s the last thing we want.
238 survivors brought back
The impact of Benue Links’ work is truly impressive.
Fanafa shared that since he took on the role of General Manager, the company has successfully transported 238 individuals who were trafficked back to Benue. This includes those whose situations were identified and reported to the authorities.
While this number sheds light on the serious issue of trafficking affecting the people of Benue, it’s important to note that it doesn’t represent the total number of victims from the state. It reflects only the cases Benue Links has encountered and been able to assist with.
The patterns revealed in the interview are particularly alarming. Many young people leave Benue lured by the promise of enticing opportunities, only to find themselves trapped in forced labour, child labour, or prostitution.
The journey home is not the end
One of the most crucial aspects of this initiative is that Benue Links sees the transportation of survivors back home as just one part of their ongoing commitment.
After victims are identified and the appropriate authorities are engaged, the company facilitates the safe return of confirmed survivors to Benue, following an arrangement sanctioned by the state government. They then hand these individuals over to the Kende Avese Foundation, owned by Her Royal Majesty Prof Felicia Ayatse, Wife of Tor Tiv.
This support is especially vital for survivors who have managed to escape exploitation but may not have the financial means or resources to make it back home.
The revelation by Fanafa sheds light on a crucial truth: Returning home without proper reintegration can leave survivors at risk of being trafficked again.
This is where the collaboration with Her Royal Majesty Prof. Felicia Ayatse, the wife of the Tor Tiv, and her Kende Avese Foundation plays a vital role.
It’s a journey from being a survivor of exploitation to someone who is actively rebuilding her life.
Fanafa mentioned that survivors coming back through Benue Links are encouraged to seek psychological support and acquire new skills, rather than just being dropped back into their communities with no guidance.
He highlighted the graduation of survivors trained through the foundation on August 29 as a significant milestone.
This approach is crucial because trafficking often leaves survivors with more than just physical wounds. The trauma from sexual exploitation, forced labour, intimidation, isolation, and abuse can lead to deep emotional scars, shame, and a loss of self-esteem.
A survivor-centred response must tackle both immediate safety and the long-term journey of economic and psychological recovery.
By learning new skills, survivors can find alternative ways to earn a living, while psychosocial support helps them cope with their trauma. Together, these elements can help alleviate one of the main vulnerabilities traffickers prey upon: economic instability.
Displacement adds another layer of risk
Fanafa’s mention of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is particularly significant.
He pointed out that some of those returning are individuals who were uprooted from their communities by armed herdsmen and are already facing economic hardships.
This creates a perilous mix of conflict, displacement, poverty, SGBV, and trafficking.
Displaced girls and young women who lack family support, financial resources, or access to education can easily fall prey to those promising jobs, housing, marriage, or other opportunities.
This underscores the need for anti-trafficking efforts to extend beyond just those already recognised as victims. Prevention strategies must also reach IDP camps and other communities where vulnerability is high.
Drivers are stepping up as key players in the protection network
One significant development is the involvement of Benue Links drivers.
Fanafa said both drivers and security personnel are becoming more aware of trafficking indicators, allowing them to voice concerns when they notice suspicious passenger behaviour.
This shift is turning the transport system into a community-based protection network.
The collaboration between the company and agencies like NAPTIP, DSS, and immigration hints at a referral system where transport workers can spot suspicious cases and trained authorities can take action.
This distinction is crucial. Transport workers aren’t investigators or law enforcement; their greatest strength lies in recognising potential issues, making safe referrals, and protecting vulnerable passengers.
Awareness can stop exploitation before it starts
The partnership with NAPTIP has also expanded to include public awareness campaigns.
Fanafa shared that NAPTIP jingles are played at Benue Links terminals, and one young woman even recognised the warning signs in her own life after hearing one of those jingles. Thanks to that, an intervention revealed she was at risk of trafficking.
This story highlights the importance of prevention messaging that empowers potential victims to identify recruitment tactics before they leave their communities.
It’s a particularly effective strategy since trafficking often starts with deception rather than force.
The missing link: Sustainable reintegration
While Benue Links can identify, refer, and transport survivors, and NAPTIP, along with security agencies, can investigate and prosecute, long-term reintegration requires a broader responsibility.
We need coordinated support that involves the state government, local governments, NAPTIP, social welfare authorities, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, transport operators, and development partners.
Survivors need to have a say in their own recovery journey. If we send someone back to their community without taking into account their safety, the stigma they might face, their family situation, and their financial circumstances, we risk putting them back in the same vulnerable position that led to their trafficking in the first place.
A model worth expanding
The experience of Benue Links shows that transport companies can do much more in the fight against human trafficking than just moving people from one place to another.
Their buses and terminals can act as prevention hubs; their monitoring officers and drivers can serve as early-warning signals; their collaborations with NAPTIP and security agencies can create pathways for referrals; and their transportation assistance can help survivors navigate the tough journey back home.
But perhaps the most crucial takeaway is that getting a survivor home doesn’t mean their struggles are over.
The true measure of success lies in whether that individual can reclaim their safety, dignity, financial independence, and the confidence to build a life free from exploitation.
In this light, the growing partnership between Benue Links, NAPTIP, traditional institutions, and skills-training programmes presents a potentially impactful model: Identify the exploitation, protect the survivor, ensure a safe return, facilitate healing, restore livelihoods, and prevent re-trafficking.
Fanafa’s question about what’s happening at other transport companies needs to be addressed. If trafficking networks are using transportation systems to move victims, then every transport terminal in Benue should be seen as a frontline in the battle against trafficking — not just an unnoticed passageway where victims vanish.
