NGO takes human trafficking campaign to streets

A non-governmental organisation, Live Abundantly, on Monday, embarked on a roadshow or walk in Lagos to mark this year's World Day Against Human Trafficking.

The NGO embarked on the roadshow in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking and the International Organisation for Migration.

During the awareness campaign monitored by our correspondent, the stakeholders called on the Federal Government to step up preventive and enforcement measures to check the menace of human trafficking.

The IOM Programme Manager, Ruth Mbugua, noted that combating human trafficking required cooperation, teamwork, and a multifaceted strategy involving governments, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, and individuals.

“Nigeria is vast with over 200 million people. We need to work effectively both with government and non-government actors to be able to sensitise communities, youth leaders, traditional leaders, educational institutions, and the media, so that we can spread the message that trafficking does exist, and they should always be against it,” Mbugua said.

The Head of Field Office at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Lagos, Ephraim Kabura,  expressed concern that human trafficking was becoming a common crime across African countries.

The Founder and Executive Director,  Live Abundantly, Dr  Ama Onyerinma, said the NGO would continue to advocate gender parity, equal pay,  justice and inclusivity in the society.

The Chairman, Punch Nigeria Limited, Mrs Angela Emuwa, urged the government to implement stringent measures against parents who collude with human traffickers to exploit their children.

“There has to be a penalty for parents who allow their children to be used for trafficking. Parents should be careful. If a child is not going legally, they should forget it because any child going like that, the child may end up as a slave. They should not allow their child to go to places they don't know about,” Emuwa said.

The Head of the Public Enlightenment Unit of NAPTIP, Lagos Command, Mr Fedrick Oko, said the agency had arrested and prosecuted a large number of human traffickers and would not relent.