By Rosemary Ogbonnaya
The fight against human trafficking has received a boost as the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, in collaboration with European Union, International and Ibero- American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies, FIIAPP, under the Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, A-TIPSOM project has organised a three -day training to equip journalists with the knowledge of human trafficking and the emerging tricks and trend of Trafficking in persons in Nigeria and enable them gain insight on how to tackle the menence.
Declaring the 3-Day Training and Capacity Development Orientation, Development of Standard Reporting Template for members of the Trafficking in Persons Media core and officers of Press and Public Relations Unit Agenda, the Director General, NAPTIP, Dr. Fatima Waziri- Azi welcomed journalists, saying that the workshop was apt as it would help the agency and other development partners to build the needed partnership with the media and to improve awareness on the danger of human trafficking.
Represented by the Director Training and Empowerment Development, Mr Arinze Orakwe, the DG said human trafficking is a crime against God and humanity that needs collaborative efforts, while reinforcing the agency’s commitment to cramp down on the traffickers.
According to her, Human trafficking is a recruitment, harbouring, transporting and receipt of people by threat, or by force, coarse or deceit for the purpose of exploitation.
DG enumerated the adverse effects of human trafficking to include: lost of properties, death of the victims, and health implications.
Explaining that human trafficking is an organised criminal behavior with several structures that affects individuals and the society as well, Waziri-Azi advised journalists to improve their reportage on human trafficking, fact check their findings and dig deep on Smuggling of migrants and human trafficking related issues.
Speaking on the emerging tricks of human trafficking, the Director of Public Enlightenment, NAPTIP, Mr. Josiah Emerole said most of the victims were tricked into trafficking through false job advertisement, debt burden, romantic relationship, quest for more economic gains, among others.
Emerole disclosed that over 15000 children and women are being trafficked to Europe globally on yearly basis.
He explained that the aim of the training was to acquaint journalists with the emerging tricks of human trafficking and to equip media with knowledge of human trafficking.
Emerole, therefore, reminded journalists the role of the media in the fight against human trafficking.
” We want journalists to know that we cannot do it alone, but we want media to take responsibility. Journalists should set agenda for NAPTIP and the Nigerian government on how to mitigate Human Trafficking,” he said.
