As many Nigerians – especially the youths leave the country each day in search of greener pastures, stakeholders have raised the alarm over the risks associated with going to Europe through irregular migration as many of them become victims of human trafficking.
The stakeholder expressed worry at the high risks of sexually transmitted diseases and infections involved in irregular migration as most of the women were subjected to prostitution, besides those who lose their lives through unsafe abortion.
According to recent figures released by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), over 1,496 stranded Nigerians have been repatriated from Libya between January and May this year, with more people still being awaited. Majority of these returnees were released from different detention centres in Libya.
Speaking at a Stakeholders Roundtable on Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking with the theme: Fostering a Safe Future for the Youths” held in Lagos recently, the stakeholders called for a concerted efforts among non-governmental organisations through increased awareness creation to tackle the menace, even as they stressed the need for the society to provide an enabling environment for the youths to fulfill their dreams at home.
The forum which sought to combat the menace of irregular migration and human trafficking by bringing all stakeholders in the campaign together to chart the way forward, was organised by Salesians of Don Bosco and International Voluntary Service (VIS) in partnership with Patriotic Citizen Initiative (PCI).
In his presentation titled: “Irregular Migration: the Reasons, the Risks and our Roles”, President of PCI, Comrade Osita Osemene, stated that youths need to be constantly sensitised – especially in this period of economic recession, about the physical and psychological torture such as hunger, starvation, killing, imprisonment, involved in travelling to Europe without the right documentation.
Narrating his experience as a victim of irregular migration, Osemene said: “There is a hell on earth for those who travel through the desert to get to Europe. Some have been on the road for three years because of misinformation. Some became mad while others were eaten by wild animals.”
He further said: “When I was going to Europe through the desert, we were about 200 in number. But when we got to Libya, we were about 15.The rest had died on the way. When they brought a small boat for the rest us of to cross the Mediterranean Sea, it was then I realised that I was inviting death. It was at that point that I took the decision to return to Nigeria.”
Osemene therefore, called on civil society organisations to step up awareness against the scourge before it consumes the future of many Nigerian youths.
Giving insight into the aim of the round-table, the Network Manager for Salesians of Don Bosco and VIS, Stephen Igbokwe, said the event was organised to discourage youths from migrating irregularly to Europe.
His words: “We believe that serious and adequate girl-child-education and women empowerment will save our girls from getting interested in going to these European countries because over there, it had gone from prostitution to sex slavery.
It has gotten to a point where the women are dehumanised to the point of involving animals. This is ridiculous and unacceptable.”
Also, Head, Public Enlightenment, NAPTIP, Mrs. Kehinde Akomolafe, in her presentation titled: Human Trafficking and The Youths”, pointed out that human trafficking is a modern day slavery which has destroyed a lot of lives.
Young girls are being exploited sexually, forced to sleep with animals, children are used for labour. The effect is dehumanising and degrading, a lot of returnees are psychologically traumatised, some have contracted disease and unwanted pregnancy”, she said.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.