Dame Julie Okah-Donli: Director-General of NAPTIP,

Mr Ganiu Agaran, the Zonal Commander, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Osun, said the command arrested 59 suspects for unlawful trafficking of 103 persons.

Agaran disclosed this to newsmen at a workshop to mark this year’s World Day Against Human Trafficking entitled: “Trafficking in persons, the Nigerian efforts and the uncomfortable truth,” in Osogbo, Osun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seminar was organised by NAPTIP in conjunction with Network of Non-Governmental Organisations in Osun (NETNOS).

“The command has been able to rescue about 103 victims from human traffickers, which comprises 35 males and 24 females.

“We have also taken about 23 cases to the court in which 15 had been legally executed while eight cases are still pending,” Agaran said.

He said the agency had been able to convict about 352 cases of human trafficking and 8,000 victims were rehabilitated since its inception.

The Zonal Commander warned the public to beware of recruitment agencies and traffickers who lured young girls and boys with promises of lucrative jobs abroad.

He said trafficking in humans had become worrisome and urged sister agencies to collaborate with non-governmental organisations, traditional rulers, religious organisations to fight the menace.

Mr Femi Adefila, the guest speaker, who is also the Executive Officer of Rave FM, Osogbo, said human trafficking had become a national embarrassment which required urgent attention.

Adefila commended the NGOs for their role towards sensitising the public on the dangers of human trafficking and urged them to do more to deliver rather than leave the fight to the government.

He urged the media to highlight trafficking matters to rescue those being lured into second slavery.

In his remarks, the NETNOS president, Mr Olayinka Ibrahim, commended the command for the collaboration with NGOs to fight human trafficking.

Ibrahim said human trafficking had become a fast growing business with over 150,000 dollars being generated from it yearly.

He said quality education, employment and sustainable social mechanism would help to curb the menace of trafficking in persons.
Ibrahim, however, called for the support of all Nigerians in the fight against human trafficking rather than leaving it in the hands of the government.