The CLEEN Foundation, a Non – Government Organisation (NGO), has called for intensified fight against trafficking in persons, especially, among women and children in the country.
The Executive Director of the foundation, Mr Benson Olugbuo, made the call at a news conference on Monday in Lagos to commemorate the Year 2021 Human Trafficking Day
He emphasised that women and children are key target groups of perpetrators because of the unequal social – economic status and lack of awareness of their legal rights.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the news conference and awareness was also held to promote an understanding of the critical issues relating to trafficking and the expected roles of stakeholders in the prevention of human trafficking and forced migration in Nigeria, especially.
“ The project was supported by the United Nations and other partners.”
According to the foundation boss, crime of Trafficking in Persons (TiP) is clandestine and complex as perpetrators evolved unique antics every time to attract their victims.
“It is a modern day slavery with long effects on victims and society on the long run,” Ogugbuo said.
The foundation boss said that there was the need to develop synergy between the government and the private entities to get more information on how to fight the crime .
The Lagos Zone Commander of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Ganiu Aganran, said the agency had never stopped sensitising Nigerians, especially at the grassroots, against the dangers of improper migration.
“ The agency thrives to get to the grassroots to ensure that many Nigerians are sensitised before being deceived by the perpetrators,” he said.
Aganran also said that the agency was on the road map of establishing more offices in all the 37 local government and council development areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State.
The Executive Director, Project Alert, Nigeria, Mrs Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, emphasised that “the Project” focused states are Lagos State and Edo.
“ Since inception, the project has been engaging relatively with the active stakeholders like the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and NAPTIP to foster gender responsive law enforcement gender audit on protection services,” she said.
Effah-Chukwuma implored governments at all levels to support the anti- human trafficking fighters with more funding.
The coordinator , African Network Against Human Trafficking (ANAHT), Rev. Sr. Patricia Egbebulem in her words, urged parents to imbibe virtues in their wards.
She condemned the act of giving preferences to other things by parents at the expense of their wards .
She emphasised that parents should teach their wards values like self dignity, hard work, self-control, obedience among other in their wards ( NAN)
