PRESS COVERAGE OF CHILD TRAFFICKING IN NIGERIA: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF DAILY SUN AND VANGUARD NEWSPAPERS BETWEEN 2019 – 2020

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PRESS COVERAGE OF CHILD TRAFFICKING IN NIGERIA: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF DAILY SUN AND VANGUARD NEWSPAPERS BETWEEN 2019 – 2020

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the Study

Trafficking in person (TIP) especially children as well as child abuse and forced labour constitute some of the cruel deviations from the concept of societal upbringing of a child. The severe exploitations, abuses and deprivations meted out on these children under trafficking in persons and forced labour conditions have proved inimical to their development and by extension that of the society. A continuation of such abuses and exploitations would seriously undermine the developmental capacity of children, thereby mortgaging the future of the entire nation.

According to, Ndaguba, the then Executive Secretary of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters (NAPTIP) stated that most of the needs of the children are those that enhance their growth and development from infancy to adulthood. At this stage of the child development, the most important issue is the provision of amenities and enabling socio-cultural –environment suitable for the sustained enhancement of the mental, physical, social health of the child and ultimately society. The seed of reproduction that the Almighty God put inside man ensures the continued existence of the human species throughout history and will continue till the end of time.

It is with such understanding that humans cherish, protect and nurture their young ones especially when they consider that these children are very defenceless and inevitably dependent on their immediate human and material environment to cater for their numerous needs. Hence, as important as the statement relating to child trafficking and abuse would be, the press coverage on issues concerning children is essential. Many children are being abused, raped and trafficked to places where they are subjected to unwarranted treatment. The press as the watch dog of the society have a social responsibility to undertake on reports concerning child trafficking in their articles, opinions, features, news.

Uchem (2018:3) posits that after over two hundred years since the official abolition of slave trade, and slavery, slave trade has re-appeared in a new form known as human trafficking. Nwodu (2014:217) states that a background of the study must be able to point striking mental picture of the scenario that gave rise to the study. In other wise, the cause of the study arises from the assumption that children are being under reported in the mass media. The contents and pages given to children in the newspapers are seemingly not enough for adequate report on children. Nigerian children are relatively developed compared to their peers in other sub Saharan Africa because Nigeria is being rated as first among the ten poorest countries with average of two children out of hundred living a happy life.

Several reports have shown that Nigerians are in the habit of child trafficking within and outside the country. It is based on these problems that the study is critically to be carried out. According to information obtained from Ehindero (2012:68), Majority of the internally trafficked persons were from rural to urban cities of Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Anambra, Kaduna, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Rivers, Edo, and Osun States which are the major destination states in Nigeria.

Child trafficking is the act of recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation either within or outside a country. Exploitation includes at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery or servitude.

In the past it was colonialist who came with big ships that exploited our people, deceiving our ancestors to part with their children in exchange for gin, cheap clothes and other trifles. But today it is our own brothers and sisters that are buying and selling their own children deceiving them with false promises of a good job, a good education and a better life overseas. For instance, vanguard newspaper of November 26, 2007 reported that barely two weeks after detectives at Umuahia zone Nine of the Nigeria Police rescued 37 children from a Pentecostal ministry in Aba where they were kept, the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Ezeozue told the news men that his men intercepted two children who escaped from the centre at the famous Ariarian market, adding that the children narrated how they were being used to beg for alms for the centre thereby subjecting them to child abuse. The children were made up of ten females and six males ranging from ages two to eleven. Meanwhile, the proprietress of the centre, Mrs Peace Iroegbu is already being detained at the criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Umuahia where the children were also kept.

Ambrose (2016:8) defines child abuse as the deliberate and wilful injury of a child by a guardian either by hitting, beating with belt, cord, or other implement, slamming against a wall, burning with cigarettes, scalding with hot water, looking in a dungeon, torturing, sexually abusing and even killing. It involves active and hostile aggressive physical treatment.

Furthermore, Adidu (2015:55) stresses that abuse may result in psychiatric disorders like depression, excessive, anxiety or disassociate identity disorder, as well as increased risk of suicide. Baran (2017:413) posits that child trafficking exposes them to different types of abuse, violence and juvenile crime which often cause behaviour problems among the children.

Nkwocha (2019:143) maintains that the press uses mass media which are the channels that professional communicators use in disseminating messages widely, rapidly add continuously to arouse the traffickers the dangers in trafficking vulnerable especially children, they are the channels through which mass, but diversified populations are reached simultaneously. Mass media, especially newspapers are powerful tools for opinion, moulding, agenda setting, public debate, integration, and etcetera. According to Okunna (2012:273), it yields a lot of power. Baran (2017:143) posits that newspaper attempt to attract readers with a variety of tactics. It has the responsibility to prepare it readers for social change. Thus newspaper plays an increasingly valuable role in explaining, interpreting and commenting upon event in the society.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

The vantage position that children occupy in any society cannot be overemphasized. It is rightly expected that for there to be continuity in human existence in the society the presence of children is needed. This is because when the adults’ finally pass to the great beyond or when they get too old to carry on with life activities, today’s children are expected to take their positions. Based on the foregoing, it is quite annoying therefore seeing these children undergo series of neglect, slave trade, abuse, dehumanisation and torture of some sorts in the name of child trafficking.

Annually, thousands of children are reportedly smuggled across borders and sold as a mere commodity. As a result of this ugly trend, their survival and development are incessantly threatened, their right to life, jeopardised.

However, as children constitute untapped resources to every nation, the incessant nature of neglect, abuse and torture meted out on them in form of trafficking requires an empirical examination. This therefore forms the problem this study sought to investigate.

1.3       Objectives of the Study

The aim of this project is examine press coverage of child trafficking in Nigeria; A content analysis of daily sun and Vanguard newspapers between 2019 – 2020.

            The objectives of this study include:

1. To find out the level of coverage given to child trafficking by Daily Sun and Vanguard newspapers?
2. To find out the nature of the story used to implement appropriate strategies to combat child trafficking.
3. To find out if Daily Sun and Vanguard newspapers carry reports on child trafficking in Nigeria.
4. To find out how far the media have sensitize the society about the ills of child trafficking in Nigeria.
5. To know whether the newspapers under study promotes and enforce the rights of the child for survival, development and protection.

1.4       Research Questions

For the purpose of this study the following questions are posed to guide this research.

1. What is the level of coverage given to child trafficking by Daily Sun and Vanguard newspapers?
2. Do Daily Sun and Vanguard newspapers carry editorials on child trafficking?
3. How often do Daily Sun and Vanguard newspapers carry report on child trafficking in Nigeria?
4. To what extent does the press cover issues of child trafficking in Nigeria?
5. What prominence do the selected newspapers give to issues on child trafficking in Nigeria?

1.5       Significance of the Study

This study would be significant in many respects. Firstly, the problem and development of Nigeria children affect every home directly or indirectly. Therefore, studying and analyzing the press coverage on issues of children is sine qua non to the overall development of Nigeria because it would serve as an insight into the conditions in which our children find themselves today and a guide for preparing them for meaningful contribution to development of the society.

Secondly, it will advance the frontier of knowledge in the field of mass communication and serve as a repository of knowledge and also contribute to the available literature in the field of mass communication.

Thirdly, the issues of child trafficking in Nigeria have become a serious matter and demands adequate attention by all and sundry. It will help National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters (NAPTIP), Government and other Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) to assess how far the press has covered issues bothering on child trafficking.

Finally, the information contained in this research will serve as a reference material for future researchers.

1.6       Scope of the Study

This study covered a period of one year. The Investigation was carried out using Daily Sun and Vanguard newspapers to study the issues on child trafficking from the month of September 2019 to August 2020. The two newspapers were chosen because they have made their marks in Nigerian journalism and have high circulation strength. It also ascertained how the media as the watchdog of the society and agenda setting machinery has fared in the coverage of issues bothering on child trafficking in Nigeria. Since it is often the mass media that raise issues upon which public opinion is expressed.

1.7       Definitions of Terms

To ensure absolute comprehensibility of the issue at stake, certain terms and concept especially more technical ones cannot but be defined or clearly explained. Wimmer and Dominick (2013:11) state that Operational definitions are indispensable in scientific research because they enable investigators to measure relevant variable.

Press: Journalist and photographers that work for newspapers and magazines.

Coverage: Reporting of news, stories, issues and event in the newspaper.

Children: This is the group of people under parental oversight that is within the age bracket of 1-18 years.

Child trafficking – Child trafficking is the act of recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation either within or outside a country.

Child abuse: It is the deliberate and wilful injury of a child by a guardian either by hitting, beating with belt, cord, or other implement.

Newspaper: It is unbound, printed publication issued at regular intervals, which presents information in words, often supplemented with picture.

Daily Sun: star that shines in the sky during the day and gives the earth heat and light and a private newspaper that publishes news on daily basis in Nigeria.

Vanguard: A non – governmental national daily in Nigeria.

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