The Human Development Initiatives (HDI), a nonprofit organisation, has advocated for an inter-agency collaboration in fighting the menace of human trafficking in commemoration of this year’s World Day Against Human Trafficking, as it calls for proper utilisation of the N75billion Youth Development Fund.
July 30 every year is set aside as World Day Against Human Trafficking, and as an organisation focused on strengthening vulnerable humans in the society, HDI in aligning with other stakeholders to draw attention of world leaders and citizens to the menace of human trafficking in Nigeria, with most victims being children and women.
“We are calling on all government agencies in the forefront of the fight against human trafficking especially the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NATIP) to step up the fight by ensuring inter-agency collaboration with Law Enforcement Agencies for adequate enforcement of anti-trafficking laws.
“We are also calling on the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to increase sensitisation and community re-orientation to enlighten people on the risks of illegal migration,” said Olufunso Owasanoye, the executive director, HDI Nigeria.
According to Owasanoye, government should put more security measures in place and ensure proper manning of state and national borders to curtail the problem of illegal migration. “We are also appealing to all Nigerians especially the youth, to be wary of promises that seem too-good-to-be-true,” she said.
“These victims leave with promises of better life and quality education but unfortunately end up as house maids, sex slaves or even used for several other heinous purposes including human organ harvesting,” Owasanoye said.
According to her, many innocent young women smuggled into foreign countries in hope of a better life, have ended up as sex slaves with some having had to pay the ultimate price due to the cruelty of trafficking.
“Without doubt, stories of human trafficking are tales of woes, pain and anguish; they are stories of exploitation and abuse. Trafficking, which today is a multi-million-dollar business, thrives in Nigeria because of extreme poverty and high rate of unemployment among persons of employable age in the country,” Owasanoye said.
Research has shown that 7 out of 10 young Nigerians want to travel out of the country in search of better life. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that 70 percent of human trafficking victims are women and girls while 30 percent of the victims are children. Of these, 23 percent are girls while 7 percent are boys.
To end human trafficking in Nigeria, all hands must be on deck as both government and citizens have roles. However, HDI believes much needs to be done in empowering survivors and potential victims of trafficking while also ensuring the enforcement of laws against trafficking.
“It is pertinent to note that the Buhari administration recently declared a N75 billion Youth Development Fund which can be harnessed towards empowerment of youth who are vulnerable to trafficking disguised as migration,” said Owasanoye.
Johnson Ibidapo, programme coordinator, HDI, said there can be no supply if there is no demand for trafficking. “We all have roles to play in curtailing human trafficking, such as spreading the news to put traffickers out of business and joining the campaign against the use of children as house help,” Ibidapo said.
According to him, HDI as coordinating office for NACTAL South West Zone, will continue to do its best in the fight against human and child trafficking in partnership with NAPTIP to ensure that women and children can live in a society free from exploitation and abuse.
