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The Southeast region of the country has become a hub for human trafficking, according to Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, NAPTIP’s Director General, who has raised alarm on the region’s disturbing trend.
Prof. Waziri-Azi made this statement on Monday during the launch of a one-day workshop in Enugu, a joint initiative between ICMPD and NAPTIP.
The Director of Research and Programme Development, Mr. Josiah Emerole, attended the event on his behalf.
The purpose of the workshop, according to the NAPTIP boss, was to scrutinize and validate the report of a baseline study conducted by NAPTIP and ICMPD to inform their advocacy efforts.
The ICMPD, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, is a vital inter-governmental entity that represents the interests of its 20 member states.
According to him, the project was carried out in the five states of Enugu, Edo, Delta, Benue and Ogun.
Waziri-Azi said that Enugu was chosen as one of the pilot states because of the high rate of human trafficking in the zone.
He described human trafficking as the second major crime in the world but regretted that “Nigerians see it as a minor crime.”
He encouraged stakeholders to pool resources and collectively fight the menace.
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According to him, the fight against human trafficking is a collaborative one because anybody can be trafficked, both young and adult, in the name of making money.
“It is time to say no to sexual exploitation, use of children to make money and organ harvesting because those children are our future hope,” he said.
He rallied the public to join forces and propagate the message in their local communities, ensuring a far-reaching impact.
Mojisola Sodeinde, Regional Head of ICMPD, kicked off the event by praising the tireless efforts of anti-human trafficking crusaders who have made a tangible impact.
On Sodeinde’s behalf, Rhoda Dia-Johnson, Project Coordinator at ICMPD, warmly acknowledged the collective contributions of NAPTIP, government representatives, educational leaders, and civil society members, celebrating their united front against human trafficking.
He stressed that their involvement was the crucial factor in the project’s effectiveness, praising their tireless efforts to educate and advocate against human trafficking within the school community.
