Stakeholders Worry Over Increase Rate Of Human Trafficking

By Israel Afolabi

The Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Barrister Julie Okahdonli has expressed shock over the increasing rate of human trafficking in the region of Africa.

Barrister Okahdonli made this known in his keynote address at a one-day seminar on the 2017 World Day Against Human Trafficking organised by the network of Non-governmental Organisations (NETNOS), Osun State Chapter which held at Anglican Bishop’s Court Hall, Isale Aro, Osogbo, State of Osun.

In his address, titled, “Give Hope, End Human Trafficking”, he described human trafficking as a modern day slavery, saying that the scourge needs to be fought and defeated to the barest minimum until the present and next generations are preserved”.

He said this year’s World Day against human trafficking was aimed at creating awareness for all stakeholders, including government and civil society organisations in order to share information and proffer solution to the scourge of human trafficking and the dangers it poses to communal existence.

Barrister Okahdonli also stated that the scourge of slavery, which was hitherto abolished during the colonial period, has resurfaced in modern times as human trafficking.

He declared that the act, which includes all acts of involvement in the recruitment, transportation, purchase, sale, transfer and harbouring of persons in this modern day is a crime.

He urged parents and guardian to work towards the eradication of human trafficking and join in advocacy campaigns from time to time at home first, then communities that are prone to the crime.

The NAPTIP boss stressed that the responsibility of tackling the menace which is gradually ending the existence of many communities is a collective one and there is a need to take a coordinated approach to address predisposing factors like poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, employment and unobserved ethical and values.

The Osun State Comptroller, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Adebowale Oluwatoyin, noted that the consequences of human trafficking are quite many and may lead to other organised crimes in the society, urging parents and guardians in the society to cooperate in putting an end to human trafficking which he described as an illegal act as entrenched in the nation law.

He also added that parents must always remember that their children are their future and do all they could to safeguard their future.

In his contribution, Mr Abayomi Ogundele observed that human traffickers now go deep into the nooks and crannies of villages, lamenting how young children are forced to work for their family’s survival.

Also, the Director-General, Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC), Mr Wale Idowu described human trafficking as evil acts which we must be ended by all means.