Group Tasks Govt On Human Trafficking

A GROUP, Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) has alerted that human trafficking in the country is on the increase and appealed to the Federal and State governments, as well as all stakeholders to make concerted efforts at addressing the issue.

According to PRAWA, Nigeria has regrettably become a “transit and distribution point for trafficking, which also experiences internal and external trafficking of women and children.”

Giving statistics to prove their claim, the Programme officer, Ms. Uju Osude said research had shown that human trafficking in Kaduna State increased from four in 2012 to 114 in 2013. Again the number of rescued victims from Kano State increased from 59 in 2012 to 148 in 2013.

According to Osude, similar trends were noticed in Anambra, Edo, Ogun and some other states.

Osude spoke at a workshop organised for secondary school students in Ogun State to enlighten them on the evils of human trafficking. The aim of the workshop was to equip participants with adequate knowledge of the overall consequences of human trafficking on the society, so as to impart it to their parents who are potential beneficiaries of child trafficking.

Students from 10 secondary schools participated in the workshop held in Abeokuta, the state capital.

An Executive member of PRAWA, Dr. Tope Olaifa hinted that PRAWA was set to partner with the National Agency for the Prohibition of trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) on “interventions to speed up criminal justice in the country”.

Topics treated by resource persons at the Workshop include “Peer mediation in child trafficking.”