Causes And Consequences Of Child Trafficking As Expressed By Married, Adults
[A CASE STUDY OF SHAKI WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OYO STATE.]

Research Questions
    The study is designed to examine the causes and the consequences of child trafficking using the following researcher questions.
(1)    What are the causes of child trafficking?
(2)    What are the consequences of child trafficking?
(3)     Does religion have any influence on respondents’ perception of the causes of child trafficking?
(4)    Does family type have any influence on respondents’ perception of the causes of child trafficking?
(5)    Does gender have any influence on respondents’ perception of the causes of child trafficking?
(6)    Does Educational background have any influence on respondents’ perception of the causes of child trafficking? For the purpose of this research work. These questions are to be answered.

Research Hypotheses
    From the above research question, the following research hypotheses have been formulated for testing.
(1)    There is no significant difference in the causes of child trafficking as perceived by adults in Shaki West Local Government Area, Oyo State on the basis of gender.
(2)    There is no significant difference in the consequences of child trafficking as perceived by adults on the basis of religion.
(3)    There is no significant difference in the causes of child trafficking as perceived by adults on the basis of education background.
(4)    There is no significant difference in the consequences of child tracking as perceived by adults in Oyo Shaki West Local Government Area, Oyo State on the basis of family type and education background.

Significance of the study
    The study became necessary now more than ever before, mainly because of the high rate of trafficking of children generally and specifically trafficking of children in Ilorin for prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation forced labour or services or slavery.
    According to Egua (2000), Blacks especially Nigerian girls are best known all over the regions of Italy for the booming trade in prostitution. Okpoyo (2000) also for that the total number of Nigerian girls particularly from Edo States origin prostituting in Italy is over 10,000. In addition to this, the chairman of Ilorin South Local Government Area, who was trying to rehabilitates the prostitute during their pilgrimage to Mecca, commented thus; we felt embarrassed by the increasing rate of Nigeria prostitutes in Saudi Arabia and we would do our best to draw the attention of the Federal Government to this stain. He went further to say, as Kwarans we were unhappy that some of them were lured into sex trade in the Holy land. The fact sheet produced by UNICEF (2000), stated that; boys are mostly trafficked from Kwara to Togo as far as Mali to work on the plantation.
    The study will be significant in the sense that it may help in enlightening the children and their parents of the dangers of this act. For example, a report published in “Echo News”. A magazine of Nigerian affairs in Italy as contained in the Tell magazine of July 5, 1999, stated that, many Nigerian children have been assassinated by either angry client of unknown assailants. Many of them too have died of sexual Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and AIDS. Also, the anti-slavery reporter of September, 1997 says that new trafficking routes are opening up from the Horn of Africa. In the absence of protective gear (Masks, Gloves e.t.c), children working on the tea and coffee plantations in some districts of Kenya fall ill regularly (Sunday Nation 5th January, 1997).
    The study will also be significant in the sense that it may proffer meaningful suggestions on how handle the causes of child trafficking among these young and promising children. As such this study might enlighten the parents and enrich their understanding on the consequences of allowing their children to be trafficking out of the country and consequently make them to be equipped with adequate knowledge required in the upbringing and training of their daughters to become fit into the society norms and demand required of a child, to become responsible and respectable children as dictated or spelt out in Holy Books that is Quran and the Bible.
    A large percentage of the populace believe that trafficking in children was ignited be unemployment. As such, this study may help to give adequate advice to be government on the necessity of job creation for the young ones especially the young graduate and even the less priviledged that cannot afford to go to school. Therefore, a study of causes and consequences of child trafficking is important and significant not only because of the health, social, economic and possibly psychological repercussions, but because it has brought embarrassment to Nigeria in the recent times. Also, counsellors might benefit from the results of this study that it will enable them to understand better the problem of trafficking of children, various causes, its prevalence, consequences and attitude towards the social evil and why young adults are involved in it. The information obtained from the study might better equip the counsellors, parents, NGOs, stakeholders, government and interested bodies that might want to wage war against this ugly act. Thus, counsellors will be equipped to counsel the children on trafficking problems and the consequences of it.