The Government of Burkina Faso has pledged to strengthen judicial cooperation with Nigeria to recover compensation awarded to Nigerian victims of human trafficking and bring cross-border criminal networks to justice.

The Minister of Justice of Burkina Faso, Maître Bayala, gave the assurance during a meeting with Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Syndoph Endoni, in Ouagadougou.

A statement from Nigeria’s Mission in Ouagadougou said discussions centred on human trafficking, terrorism and other transnational crimes posing security and justice challenges to both countries.

Bayala expressed his government’s readiness to deepen judicial cooperation with Nigeria, particularly in investigating offenders, enforcing court judgments and protecting victims of human trafficking.

He identified the systematic exchange of judicial information, effective monitoring of appeals and stronger mechanisms for enforcing court decisions as priority areas for bilateral collaboration.

The minister also pledged to support efforts to trace and recover assets belonging to convicted human traffickers to facilitate the payment of court-ordered compensation to victims.

He further assured that his ministry would work with relevant Nigerian institutions to address shared security concerns, particularly terrorism and human trafficking.

According to him, stronger judicial cooperation would help address enforcement gaps exploited by criminal networks operating across national borders, especially where offenders conceal assets or evade legal proceedings.

In his response, Endoni raised unresolved cases involving Nigerian trafficking victims and urged the Burkinabè authorities to review the judgments and ensure that the victims received their legally awarded compensation.

The ambassador stressed that the repatriation of trafficking victims should not prevent the prosecution of offenders or the enforcement of compensation orders.

He called for stronger judicial arrangements that would enable both countries to pursue traffickers across borders and ensure accountability, regardless of the victims’ locations.

Commending Bayala and the Ministry of Justice for their commitment to delivering justice, including in complex cases involving transnational organised criminal networks, Endoni reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to work closely with Burkina Faso.

He said both countries needed stronger judicial coordination, information sharing and enforcement mechanisms to tackle cross-border crimes and ensure justice for victims. (Nigerian Tribune)