NAPTIP canvasses increased anti-human trafficking awareness

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has canvassed increased awareness on dangers of trafficking in persons. Its Director-General, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, advised that parents, guardians and caregivers need to be enlightened on the methods human traffickers employ to lure unsuspecting victims.

She made the call at an all female novelty match between the agency and its partner agencies to commemorate the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, themed ‘Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking’, at the weekend in Abuja.

Her words: “We have been establishing what we call anti-trafficking in persons and violence against persons vanguards in secondary schools, which basically is a platform for young people to educate themselves and also for teachers to be educated so that they can go back to their communities to educate their parents, neighbours about the signs of human trafficking.

“A lot of times when people are about to be trafficked, they don’t recognise the signs, they don’t see the dangers, and most young people are at risk, so the school’s vanguard is a way of grooming the younger generation to advocate against issues like this.”

Project Coordinator, Human Trafficking and Migrants Smuggling Portfolio of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), Abimbola Adewumi, said the global organisation had dedicated every July 30 for the celebration.