Oshiomhole tells Senate Italy must curb demand for trafficked Edo women
- Oshiomhole said an Italian ambassador told him Italian men cannot resist Edo girls.
- He argued Italy should discourage demand, not leave the burden on Edo and Akwa Ibom.
- The Senate adopted a call to strengthen enforcement of anti-trafficking laws.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has told the Senate that Italy should do more to stop its citizens from fuelling the trafficking of Nigerian women, rather than leaving Edo and Akwa Ibom to handle the problem alone.
Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North and is a former governor of Edo State, spoke during Tuesday's plenary. A video of the session began circulating online on Thursday.
He recalled meeting the Speaker of the Italian Parliament, who he said offered technical support to Edo State to reduce the number of women being trafficked out. Oshiomhole said he replied that supply only exists because there is demand, and urged Italy to discourage its men from patronising trafficked women.
He also said the women did not travel through Libya but through the Italian embassy, suggesting the destination country has a duty to act.
What the ambassador reportedly said
According to Oshiomhole, when he raised the issue with the Italian ambassador, the envoy replied: “Your Excellency, I'm sorry, Italian people cannot resist Edo girls.”
Oshiomhole said his answer was that Italian men, not Edo communities, need reorientation. He argued that Edo and Akwa Ibom can only make progress on the supply side if destination countries show they are tackling demand.
“The law of economics is that without demand, there will be no supply,” he said, describing trafficking as a national problem rather than one for a single state.
He warned that Nigeria should not be seen abroad as a country that tolerates trafficking, and called for action against organised groups in foreign countries that he said back the trade in Nigerian women.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio asked Oshiomhole whether he had tried to find out what Italians see in Edo women. Oshiomhole said he could not, adding that he is a Catholic and happily married.
Why it matters
Human trafficking has long drained young people from Edo and other southern states, and many families lose contact with daughters who are promised work abroad. For ordinary Nigerians, the debate matters because it touches on jobs, migration and the safety of young women travelling on false promises.
Akpabio said he signed a law as Akwa Ibom governor prescribing the death penalty for kidnapping, with forfeiture and demolition of property used in the crime. He called for stronger enforcement of existing laws and better rehabilitation for trafficking victims returning home.
He also pointed to a possible review of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, and the Child Rights Act, 2003.
The Senate adopted a recommendation to strengthen anti-trafficking laws through better enforcement and rehabilitation measures.
What happens next: The push now moves to enforcement and possible amendments to the 2015 trafficking law. The sources did not say when any review would begin or whether Italy has responded to the Senate's call.
