FG, Roost Foundation canvass effective measures to tackle human trafficking

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

The Federal Government, Roost Foundation and other key stakeholders have stressed the need for massive and effective awareness creation to checkmate human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence.

Speaking during a Town Hall Meeting on the prevention of human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence in Abuja, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, said for Nigeria to make progress, all hands must be on deck towards eliminating the challenges of Human Trafficking.

While stressing that her Ministry is a critical and primary stakeholder in the humanitarian and social sector, Farouq, who was represented at the event by Hajara Ahmed, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics in the ministry, said her ministry will not relent until the country is rid of the vice.

“Through the ministry, we coordinate President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda towards transforming the lives of Nigerians both home and abroad to ensure that they live a life of sustainable progress, where they are free from scourge of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.

“Our agencies like NCFRMI and NAPTIP have recorded success in apprehending traffickers both home and abroad and ensuring they are prosecuted; some have been incarcerated.

“To ensure that we make progress, all hands must be on deck towards eliminating the challenges of Human Trafficking, Migration and Gender Based Violence in Nigeria.

“There is the absolute need for massive sensitisation to educate the people. This will go a long way to checkmate the menace in our society. Hence we look forward to collaborating and partnering with NGOs like Roost Foundation, the media and others,” Farouq said.

On her part, Founder of Roost Foundation, Dr. Julie Okah-Donli, said the government over the years had been working with international organisations to address the issues of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.

She corroborated Farouq’s idea of enlightenment and awareness creation to checkmate irregular migration and human trafficking.

Okah-Donli also hinted that bullying is a violent act and should also be criminalised to address issues relating to it.

She, however, commended NAPTIP and other Agencies that were in the forefront of combating irregular migration, human trafficking and sexual and gender based violence.

Also speaking, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Enida, the Nigeria Coordinator of AGA-Africa, said most people were not aware of what constitutes trafficking, because they engage in it.

“But, let it be known that ignorance is not an excuse before the law. So the best way to fight it is to create awareness and let people know about the dangers and consequences of it.

“We had trainings for law enforcement agencies. This is to ensure that we share information and encourage trans-national cooperation among African countries that have been part of us.

“And, we discovered that it is actually working, because, it breaks the ice between these countries and as such, maximum corporation is achieve in combating human trafficking, irregular migration and Sexual and gender based violence,” she said.

Also present at the event were officials from the Embassy of Sweden in Nigeria, Ministries of Youths and Sports Development, Women Affairs and from NYSC, FRSC, Nigerian Immigration Service, and Nigeria Police Force amongst others.