The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, has warned students against embarking on unplanned trips abroad; stressing that unemployment was not a justifiable reason for young men and women in Edo and Delta states to submit to being trafficked out of the country.
The Benin Zonal Commander of the agency, Nduka Nwenwene who sounded the note of warning, also revealed that the two sister states have the highest number of those trafficked out of the country.
Addressing students of St. Maria Goretti, Benin City at a sensitization programme organized by Re-educating Africans on the Risk and Dangers in Unplanned Journey Abroad, RARDUJA, Nwenwene stated that, “In 2011, NAPTIP brought back 104 girls from Mali. Out of that 104 girls, 60 of them came from Edo State, 30 came from Delta State. So, Edo and Delta, accounted for 90, leaving only 14 for the rest of the states in the country and it should not be so because Edo and Delta states are not the poorest states.”
Nwenwene said though the government had failed on its part to provide jobs for her citizens, it was still not enough reason for people to embark on such journey.
He called on Nigerians to report cases of human trafficking to NAPTIP, stressing that the battle could only be won collectively.
Speaking on the theme, “Say No to Unplanned Journey Abroad”, the coordinator, RARDUJA International, Ambassador Eddy Duru, said the dangers in embarking on unplanned journey to Europe were enormous and so should not be encouraged in any school either by the teachers or the proprietors.
According to him, “Our quest is to continue to re-educate our people, Nigerians, on the risks and all the hazards that are associated with this traveling through the sea and the desert especially unplanned, even through the air. Many who are there right now are frustrated.”
While affirming that there are a lot to achieve in Nigeria, Duru asserted that what Nigerians need is the ability to look inward and find something meaningful to do. He said while some Nigerians were leaving the country for the fear of Boko Haram in the recent past, other foreigners were trooping into the country for businesses just because they were able to see what others could not see in the country.
He said RARDUJA was not against anybody traveling abroad but should anyone want to travel, the person should follow due process to avoid the risk of losing one’s life in a bid to travel out of the country.
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