Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has issued a stern warning to Nigerians regarding the employment of underage housemaids. Hassan Tahir, the agency’s Director of Legal and Prosecution, emphasized the illegality of such practices during a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
Tahir highlighted the legal implications, citing Section 23 of the Trafficking in Persons Act (TIP), which expressly prohibits the employment of children as domestic workers. According to this section, any individual found guilty of employing, requesting, recruiting, transporting, harboring, receiving, or hiring out a child for domestic work faces imprisonment ranging from six months to seven years.
In response to challenges faced by employers of domestic workers, which occasionally escalate to instances of harm, Tahir urged adherence to fair treatment standards. He emphasized the importance of providing equitable conditions for housemaids, including shared accommodations and access to education alongside the employer’s children.
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