Cativeiro e terror: a dinâmica do tráfico humano na Nigéria sob influência do Boko Haram

Abstract

The present work aims to analyze the dynamics of human trafficking in Nigeria, focusing on the actions of the terrorist group Boko Haram, which has instrumentalized this crime, significantly impacting migration flows in the region. The research adopts a qualitative methodology, using a case study approach based on bibliographic, documentary, and journalistic sources related to the group. Data from international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and academic literature addressing crimes committed in the region from a human rights perspective are incorporated. This study is guided by the following research question: “In what ways does Boko Haram employ human trafficking in Nigeria, and what are the national, regional, and international impacts of this practice?” It also tests the hypothesis that, within the context of Boko Haram’s operations—a fundamentalist and terrorist organization active in a region marked by ethnic and religious diversity—human trafficking transcends a purely economic function. Instead, it plays a strategic role in sustaining the group, serving purposes such as forced recruitment (particularly of women and children), sexual exploitation, slave labor, and forced marriages. Findings indicate that the kidnapping of girls—as seen in the emblematic case of Chibok—represents not only a source of material resources but also a deliberate strategy of psychological warfare, social destabilization, and ideological expansion, reinforcing the group’s power structures. Moreover, the study observes that measures taken by the Nigerian government, Sahel region countries, and the international community have been insufficient. Contributing factors include fragile state institutions, lack of coordination among relevant actors, and an overemphasis on security-based approaches at the expense of human rights protection. The study concludes that human trafficking in the context of Boko Haram’s activities is not an isolated phenomenon, but part of a broader mechanism that interlinks terrorism, transnational organized crime, and systematic human rights violations. Thus, this monograph contributes to the field by shedding light on the severity and far-reaching consequences of human trafficking in conflict settings.