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The Role of Juju Rituals in Human Trafficking of Nigerians: A Tool of Enslavement, But Also Escape

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah Adeyinka
  • Ine Lietaert
  • Ilse Derluyn

Abstract

In 2018, the Oba (King) of Benin city in Edo state (Nigeria), a spiritual and traditional leader with significant authority, made a public, spiritual declaration on Nigerian human traffickers (especially those originating from Edo state) and proclaimed that victims of trafficking who were bound by oaths taken during the juju rituals were free. The Nigerian trafficking network relies mainly on juju as a control mechanism to keep the victims bound and subservient to them. Based on repeated in-depth interviews with young Nigerian women and teenager teenage victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, this article discusses how juju is used by the trafficking networks to keep their victims exploited, enslaved and indebted. Concurrently, the participants’ narratives also illustrate the important impact of the declaration of the Oba for some women and teenagers in their process to leave the trafficking networks.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Adeyinka & Ine Lietaert & Ilse Derluyn, 2023. "The Role of Juju Rituals in Human Trafficking of Nigerians: A Tool of Enslavement, But Also Escape," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:13:y:2023:i:4:p:21582440231210474
    DOI: 10.1177/21582440231210474
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Giacomo Orsini & Marina Rota & Océane Uzureau & Malte Behrendt & Sarah Adeyinka & Ine Lietaert & Ilse Derluyn, 2022. "Loops of Violence(s) Within Europe’s Governance of Migration in Libya, Italy, Greece, and Belgium," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(2), pages 256-266.
    2. Dina Siegel & Sylvia de Blank, 2010. "Women who traffic women: the role of women in human trafficking networks -- Dutch cases," Global Crime, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(4), pages 436-447, November.
    3. Sarah Adeyinka & Ine Lietaert & Ilse Derluyn, 2023. "It Happened in the Desert, in Libya and in Italy: Physical and Sexual Violence Experienced by Female Nigerian Victims of Trafficking in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-17, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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