…Says Government Strengthens Victim Protection, Prosecution of Traffickers and Agents
The Delta State Government has called on parents, caregivers, schools, traditional and religious leaders, and other stakeholders to strengthen vigilance and protect children and other vulnerable persons from human trafficking, irregular migration and exploitation.
The call was contained in a statement by the Director-General, Delta State Bureau for Orientation and Communications, and Member of the State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Esq., against the backdrop of reported cases of child trafficking, sexual exploitation, alleged baby factories, illegal child transfers and other forms of exploitation.
Oghenesivbe said the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori would not allow traffickers, fraudulent migration agents, illegal adoption brokers and other criminal elements to exploit vulnerable families. He said persons involved in the recruitment, movement, harbouring or exploitation of victims would be identified, investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
He said human trafficking was no longer confined to international borders, as traffickers operate through local and transnational networks. According to him, poverty, unemployment, family vulnerability, ignorance and the desire of young people for better opportunities are among the factors being exploited by criminal networks.
Oghenesivbe said traffickers and their agents were increasingly using social media, fake employment offers, promises of overseas education, modelling and entertainment opportunities, domestic work and marriage proposals to lure unsuspecting victims. He said parents should be suspicious of offers promising quick wealth, foreign travel or employment without verifiable documentation.
“Parents and caregivers must understand that a promise of a lucrative job, foreign travel, marriage or a better life can be a recruitment strategy. Before allowing any child or young person to travel, parents must verify the identity and physical address of the recruiter, employer or agency, obtain proper documentation and maintain direct contact with the child throughout the journey,” he said.
He also cautioned parents against handing over children to unverified orphanages, private homes, maternity facilities or individuals claiming to provide charitable, educational or adoption services. “Children must never become commodities in an underground economy,” Oghenesivbe said, urging families to verify the registration, ownership, legal status and regulatory approval of institutions seeking custody of children.
The Director-General said schools had a critical role in preventing trafficking and identifying victims early. He urged principals, teachers and guidance counsellors to watch for sudden withdrawal from school, unexplained absenteeism, behavioural changes, secret communication with unknown adults, and unexplained travel or employment arrangements.
He commended the State Government and the Taskforce for supporting the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project, STEAP, which equips teachers and students with knowledge to recognise and resist trafficking. He assured that such programmes would be sustained and expanded across the state.
Oghenesivbe stressed that the desire of young Nigerians to travel, study or work abroad must not be criminalised, but pursued through safe and lawful migration channels. “Migration must be informed, documented and safe. People must know who is taking them, where they are going, what work they will do, what their rights are and where they can seek help if things go wrong,” he said.
He said victims of trafficking must be treated with dignity and protected as victims rather than stigmatised or automatically treated as offenders. They require medical care, psychosocial support, legal assistance, protection from intimidation and retaliation, family tracing where appropriate, education, vocational training and sustainable reintegration.
“Rescue is only the beginning. If we rescue a victim and return that person to the same vulnerability that facilitated the trafficking in the first place, we have not solved the problem. Reintegration, livelihood support, education, counselling and protection against re-trafficking must form part of the response,” he stated.
The Director-General called for stronger prosecution of traffickers, recruiters, facilitators and complicit agents, stressing that the objective must be to dismantle trafficking networks and prevent the recruitment of new victims. He said the State Taskforce would continue to support evidence-based investigation, intelligence sharing and prosecution under applicable federal and Delta State laws.
Oghenesivbe commended the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Chairman of the State Taskforce, Mr. Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, members of the Taskforce and collaborating agencies for their sustained efforts in victim rescue, investigation, advocacy, rehabilitation and reintegration.
He also commended the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for supporting the institutional framework and interventions of the Taskforce.
He said the progress recorded so far should spur intensified action in prevention, intelligence gathering, monitoring of care institutions, safe-migration education, prosecution and survivor reintegration.
Oghenesivbe urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, health workers, transport operators, youth groups and community organisations to report suspicious recruitment, movement and exploitation of children and vulnerable persons.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Delta State Government and the State Taskforce to a sustained prevention, protection, prosecution and reintegration strategy, while urging members of the public to report suspected trafficking, fraudulent overseas employment, illegal adoption, baby-selling, sexual exploitation and suspicious care facilities to the appropriate authorities.
“A child is not a commodity, a victim is not a criminal, and the legitimate aspiration for a better life must never become an opportunity for traffickers to destroy human dignity. Our responsibility is to protect our children, prosecute those who exploit them and give survivors the support they need to rebuild their lives,” Oghenesivbe stated.
