The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has raised serious alarm over a disturbing new trend adopted by human traffickers in Nigeria. According to the agency, traffickers are now collecting menstrual blood from their female victims and using it as part of oath-taking rituals meant to enforce fear, silence, and absolute submission.
The Shocking Revelation
Speaking at a recent event, NAPTIP officials revealed that traffickers no longer rely solely on traditional oaths involving hair, fingernails, or personal belongings. Instead, they have turned to menstrual blood, which they believe holds even greater spiritual and psychological power over victims.
The victims are coerced into handing over their sanitary pads or are secretly monitored during their periods. These items are then taken to witch doctors, where rituals are performed, binding the victims under oath never to reveal the identity of their traffickers or attempt escape.
Psychological Control Through Fear
According to NAPTIP, this terrifying method instills extreme fear in the young girls and women who fall victim to traffickers. Many believe that breaking the oath could bring sickness, madness, or even death to them or their families.
This method has made it even harder for victims to seek help or testify against their abusers in court, as the oath serves as an invisible chain holding them captive.
The Fight Against Trafficking
NAPTIP has called on communities, parents, and religious leaders to be more vigilant, stressing that traffickers are constantly devising new ways to tighten control over their victims. The agency is also working with law enforcement, civil society groups, and international partners to dismantle trafficking rings and protect vulnerable women and girls.
Public Reactions
The revelation has sparked outrage across Nigeria, with many calling it a barbaric practice that highlights the desperation and cruelty of human traffickers. Civil society groups are demanding stronger enforcement of existing anti-trafficking laws and harsher penalties for traffickers caught engaging in such practices.
NAPTIP also urged victims who may have been subjected to such oaths to come forward, reassuring them that the agency can provide counseling, protection, and rehabilitation.
