Posted by By Margaret Odeyemi on
Human Traffickers earn over $30 billion ( about N42 billion) , the WOMEN's Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON) disclosed in Lagos while briefing journalists on its sensitization programme.
LAGOS - Human Traffickers earn over $30 billion ( about N42 billion) , the WOMEN's Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON) disclosed in Lagos while briefing journalists on its sensitization programme.
Addressing Journalists at a media chat to flag off a three day campaign on "sensitisation of rural communities for the prevention of human trafficking especially that of women and children"
in Lagos, Executive Director of WOCON, Mrs Bisi Olagbegi who quoted the International Labour Organisation ( ILO) 2005 global report said, 'you would not be surprised if I inform you that according to the global report of the ILO 2005, traffickers are found to earn over $30 billion U.S dollars annually, that is inclusive of the traffickers from and into Nigeria. One can logically state that human trafficking is worse than 419, it is 419 and much more."
Speaking on the effect of human trafficking on the victims, she said, ' victims of human trafficking are not only deceived; they also suffer serious physical, mental, emotional and sexual harm. We are all conscious of the poor economic situation in the country. So it is no wonder that the promise of greener pastures in the big cities and abroad is a powerful bait that traffickers routinely use, especially to lure our disadvantaged and unemployed youth '.
She said, 'does this mean that parents should risk the health and lives of their children ? Does this mean that young girls should sell their bodies to strangers in a foreign land in the hopes of sending money to their families back home? NO, We must all then play our respectively roles by taking a step to stamp out human trafficking in our society."
Mrs. Olateru- Olagbegi commended the efforts of both our Federal and State government in putting in place policies and laws, which will assist in combating human trafficking.
Nigeria, she noted is the only country in Africa that has promulgated a specific law against human trafficking, known as the ‘Trafficking in Persons(Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act (2003).
The law is been executed by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters (NAPTIP).
The Lagos state government has only recently inaugurated the committee to combat child trafficking under the direction of the state Ministry of women affairs and NAPTIP."
Speaking on how cases of trafficking should be handled by the law enforcement agents, Mrs Olagbegi noted that 'there will also be a one day training workshop in Lagos, to build the capacity of the Immigration, Police, transport workers including Airline operators and travel Agents, and community leaders on ways to recognise and effectively prevent cases of human trafficking".
WOCON she said has designed brochures to be distributed for onward transmission to prospective travelers suspected to be within vulnerable groups of women and children."
Also speaking at the occasion, the representative of the Lagos state women affairs and poverty eradication, Mrs Mosunmola Dada said 'we are proud of WOCON and we are ready to support the organisation in any way."