By Lizzy Okoji and Kate Obande
Abuja – The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says there is an increase in the external trafficking of people for sexual exploitation.
Mr Godwin Morka, Director, Research and Programme, Development Department, made the disclosure in Abuja on Friday at a roundtable.
The forum was organised by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation, a German Nongovernmental Organization.
Morka, represented by Mr Ayeni Yusuf of the agency, said the increase was reflected in NAPTIP’s 2016 statistics.
Morka said in 2016 more women were trafficked for internal and external sexual exploitation while more girls were trafficked for the purpose of child labour and abuse.
He said some of the victims were in search of greener pastures abroad with those deceived often falling into the hands of criminal syndicates who exploited or killed them.
“NAPTIP is more concerned with irregular migration because it is when people migrate irregularly that they fall into the hands of criminals.
“Unfortunately, they encounter a lot of evil ordeals on their journeys through the desert and dangerous voyage through the Mediterranean where some of them are deliberately thrown overboard when they develop even minor ailments.
“When they successfully cross to the other side, it does not end there as they are handed over to other syndicate groups who use them for sexual exploitation, child labour and all sorts without their consent and to make money.
“They have further transcended to organ harvesting where they remove the organs of their victims and export same to other countries,” Morka explained.
He urged the government to be more proactive in sensitising citizens to the dangers of illegal migration, especially at the grassroots, and to dissuade the youth from such ventures.
Morka urged government to address the root causes of irregular migration, provide effective border management and strengthen institutional capacities of law enforcement agencies.
Ms Vivian Nwachukwu, a representative of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, said the Federal Government recently approved the National Policy on Migration.
She said the approval was an indication of the commitment of the government to promote regular migration for the benefit of Nigeria and countries that Nigerians migrated to and in order to promote international relationships.
Nwachukwu said that migration had its positive sides but only became a source of concern when it was done irregularly and with criminal intentions.
She explained that countries had the right to determine who they allowed to stay within their borders but that the National policy on Migration provides for the safe and dignified return of its citizens.
She said the commission was carrying out its Rehabilitation, Re-integration and Resettlement programmes for returnees to ensure efficient reintegration of the returnees to the society by giving them sources of livelihood.
Nwachukwu said the commission recently embarked on a sensitisation of rural communities to enlighten them on the dangers of irregular migration and the need to be wary of those who deceived them to take their children for exploitation.
In his remarks, Mr Odetah Ogbonatta, Head of Service Delivery Unit, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), said the registration of every Nigerian was critical and strategic in addressing the challenges of irregular migration.
He said that once the data of every Nigerian was captured, one could be identified anywhere, adding that the step would deter people from migrating for criminal reasons.
According to him, the National Identity number is unique and with that criminal activities can be checked.
He called on the government to increase its sensitisation to ensure that all Nigerians were registered under the National Identity Management Scheme.
