The Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (A-TIPSOM) and Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) on Wednesday urged students and residents of border communities to stand against human trafficking.
The groups conducted a sensitization campaign in border communities, Office of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in Illela Local Government area of Sokoto State.
They also conducted street rallies and sensitization in A. A Raji Special School and Hafsatu Ahmadu Bello Model Arabic Secondary School in Sokoto metropolis.
A-TIPSOM is a project being funded by the European Union and implemented by Ibero-America Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP) to reduce human trafficking in the country.
The project was part of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) signed between the European Union and the Federal Government.
Addressing the crowd, the National President of NACTAL, Mr Abdulganiyu Abubakar, said that the events were to expose people, especially teenagers, to human trafficking, its dangers and the emerging tricks in trapping victims.
Abubakar said when the teenagers were enlightened, it would be difficult for them to be lured by foreign currencies and get trafficked.
He said that the traffickers capitalised on victims’ ignorance to perpetrate their acts.
He noted that organizations exerted efforts to protect Nigerians, especially the youth, from the human traffickers.
According to him, the joint outings are also aimed at developing people’s capacity to beat any trend and trick developed by traffickers to trap their victims.
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The President noted that the efforts were to further contribute to the government’s initiatives aimed at reducing the ratio of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants at national and regional levels.
He said Nigerians must continue to be vigilant about the antics of human traffickers, adding that their antics continued to change on daily basis.
A-TIPSOM Representative, Mr Joseph Sanwo, said Nigerians must remain vigilant, conscious of fantastic offers meant to lure them into all kinds of forced labour, adding that they were all lies and deceptive.
Sanwo said the exercise was part of the measures to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Nigeria, stressing that the menace needed combined efforts at all levels.
He said the exercise was to help people to identify migrants, smugglers and human traffickers to assist authorities in prompt investigation and prosecution of perpetrators.
” We also included civil society organisations that were closer to people in order to facilitate more understanding on trafficking and identification techniques, ” Sanwo said.
NACTAL’s Sokoto State Chairman, Mr Bello Gwadabawa, said the exercise was designed to attract public attention to the ills of human trafficking and other related offences.
Gwadabawa said members conducting the exercise were drawn from the seven northwest states of Nigeria and the programme would continue in other areas.
The Vice-Principal of A. A Raji Special School, Mr Hudu Shehu, commended the organizers for targeting students who are young that could easily be lured.
