Abbas Urges Nigeria and Italy to Form Alliance Against Human Trafficking

Nigeria's Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has urged for increased cooperation between Nigeria and Italy to tackle the issue of human trafficking, particularly the trafficking of Nigerian women to Italy.

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Abbas made this call during a courtesy visit by the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Roberto Mengoni, to his office in Abuja on Wednesday.

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He noted that Italy is a leading destination for Nigerian migrants in Europe, but it has also become a major route for traffickers exploiting vulnerable Nigerians over the years.

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According to Abbas, Nigeria has 137,000 migrants residing in Italy, and he highlighted the need to address the issue of human trafficking, which has been a major concern for both countries over the years.

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Abbas expressed his hope that under Mengoni's leadership, Nigeria and Italy would work together to eradicate the menace of human trafficking, which he described as a big stigma to Nigeria.

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For over three decades, Nigerian authorities and international agencies have been battling organised trafficking networks that transport young women through dangerous migration routes into Italy and other parts of Europe.

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Many victims are lured with promises of jobs and better living conditions before being forced into prostitution, debt bondage, and other forms of exploitation.

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The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has identified Edo State and parts of southern Nigeria as major recruitment hubs for trafficking operations targeting Europe, especially Italy.

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Hundreds of victims have been repatriated from Libya and Italy in recent years under assisted return programmes, highlighting the need for continued cooperation between the two countries.

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Abbas stated that Nigeria is interested in deepening relations with Italy beyond migration concerns, particularly in the areas of health, education, energy, and economic cooperation.

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He noted that the establishment of parliamentary friendship groups with 78 countries, including Italy, is one of the initiatives introduced under his leadership of the House.

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Abbas also referenced the proposed Nigeria-Italy Binational Commission, which aims to strengthen cooperation on security and economic matters between both countries.

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He urged the Italian government to support favourable immigration policies that would create legal migration opportunities for skilled Nigerians, highlighting the country's abundant human resources.

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Abbas described Italy as one of the most important countries to Nigeria, with a long history of political and economic ties, and expressed appreciation for the strong relationship between the two countries.

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Earlier, Ambassador Mengoni stated that he had assumed duty in Nigeria in October 2025 and was engaging key stakeholders to deepen bilateral relations between the two countries.

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Mengoni emphasized the importance of growing commercial and social ties between Nigeria and Italy, and called for stronger exchanges between African and European nations.

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The ambassador recalled President Bola Tinubu's recent visit to Rome for an international conference on counter-terrorism, noting that Nigeria and Italy share common interests.

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Mengoni stressed the importance of democratic governance and the rule of law, saying that both countries could continue to share ideas and institutional experiences in those areas.