The Southeast is one of the regions in the nation with the highest rates of human trafficking offences, according to Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi is the Director General (DG) of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking.
Waziri-Azi made these remarks on Monday at the start of a one-day workshop that the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), in collaboration with NAPTIP,
Mr. Josiah Emerole, the agency’s Director of Research and Programme Development, spoke on his behalf at the event.
According to the head of NAPTIP, the main goal of the workshop was to verify the baseline report that was completed for the advocacy project in collaboration with ICMPD and NAPTIP.
With 20 member states and its headquarters located in Vienna, Austria, the ICMPD is an intergovernmental organisation. He claims that the five states of Enugu, Edo, Delta, Benue, and Ogun were involved in the project’s execution. Enugu was selected as one of the experimental states, according to Waziri-Azi, because of the region’s high rate of human trafficking.
Although he regretted that “Nigerians see it as a minor crime,” he labelled human trafficking as the second largest crime in the world. He urged all parties involved to combine forces in order to combat the threat as a team.
He claims that since anyone can be trafficked—young or old—in the hopes of gaining money, the battle against human trafficking is one that requires cooperation from all parties involved.
Since children are our best chance for the future, it is time to say no to sexual exploitation, using them as commodities, and organ harvesting, the speaker stated.
In order to effectively raise awareness, he advised individuals to take the campaign to their local communities.
During his introductory remarks, Mr. Mojisola Sodeinde, the Head of ICMPD’s West Africa Region, praised the noteworthy actions performed by certain individuals in the battle against human trafficking. At the event, Sodeinde acknowledged government representatives, educators, members of civil society, and partners from NAPTIP.
Mrs. Rhoda Dia-Johnson, the Project Coordinator for ICMPD, represented Sodeinde. According to him, their dedication was essential to the Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project’s success at the school.
What they’re saying
“Given that over 75% of victims of human trafficking in West Africa are kids, the project’s necessity is imperative, and the urgency of our task is evident.
“Our joint goal is to establish a strong educational foundation in our schools that will enable our students to be vigilant defenders of their own futures while also educating and protecting them,”
Why this matters
In order to harmonise and improve the effectiveness of migration management, Sodeinde claims that ICMPD encourages creative, all-encompassing, and sustainable migration strategies. It also serves as a channel for governments and organisations to trade services.
Bottom Line
The ICMPD and NAPTIP had recently worked with the National Commission for Colleges of Education to update the NCE basic standards to include awareness of trafficking issues and incorporate trafficking themes into teacher training courses for NCE teachers.
