EFFECTIVENESS OF MASS MEDIA IN SENSITIZING AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN NIGERIA

Human trafficking, an enduring issue, remains a significant focal point of extensive media attention in Nigeria. The majority of those affected are either kidnapped or willingly accompany traffickers who lure them with assurances of educational prospects or other enticing benefits.

They are taken to places in foreign and local countries. The press has an imperative role to play in reporting human trafficking as the fourth estate of the realm, the watch dog of the society and agenda setting machinery. The main objective was to critically examine the effectiveness of mass media in sensitizing the masses against human trafficking. 

The research employed the principles of social responsibility theory and agenda theory to explore how the media raise consciousness regarding the negative aspects of human trafficking. The study set out primarily at content analysing issues of Daily Sun and Vanguard newspapers on human trafficking in Nigeria for period of twelve months. Code sheet was used. Based on a system sampling technique, a sample size of 118 newspapers was selected for over period of one year which runs two respective years of reportage (September 2007 – August 2008). Based on the findings from the content analysed newspapers, it was discovered that the selected newspapers did not farewell in their coverage of human trafficking. Both newspapers did not give prominence to the stories reported as almost all were buried in the inside pages. Recommendations were made based on the findings.