By Ibironke Ariyo
The Anti-Kidnapping, Human Trafficking, Child Abuse, and Drug Abuse initiative (AKH-TRACADA), has urged the government at all levels to tackle the endless loss of Nigerian lives caused by irregular migration.
The Founder, of AKH-TRACADA, Primate Belonwu Ezeanyaeche, who said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, advised Nigerian youths, especially women and girls to desist from illegal migration due to the inherent danger involved.
The organisation also urged the Federal Government to fish out illegal international firms and agencies in Nigeria advertising juicy opportunities outside the country for the youth.
Ezeanyaeche said the socio-economic situation of the country was one of the factors contributing to irregular migration, which he said was dangerous.
He said the organisation had embarked on a project aimed at preventing the causes of irregular migration, trafficking in humans, and promoting socio-economic development for women and minors.
He added that the project had helped to sensitise people on the need to follow the right migration path and avoid illegal routes.
He called for more collaboration to help reduce the evil of human trafficking through illegal migration.
The NGO boss said migration was a right and part of human existence, adding there was a thin line between trafficking in persons and irregular migration.
He revealed that victims of human trafficking were often forced into prostitution, pornography, child labor, suicide bombing, and ritual activities in other countries.
According to him, human trafficking has contributed in great measures to the ongoing humanitarian crisis around the globe, hence the need for the Federal Government to tackle the menace.
“It is a global issue that involves the exploitation of individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for various purposes such as forced labour, sexual exploitation, and organ trafficking.
“It encompasses both domestic and international trafficking and affects men, women, and children.
“Thousands of victims of human trafficking die every year as a result of torture, hunger, disease, neglect and abuse,” he said.
He said human trafficking had become endemic in Nigeria, with the rich not totally exempted from its negative impact if not checked.
“It has become important to curb the activities of persons engaged in the illicit and illegal migration business. This set of people has lured many desperate youths into their untimely death.
“I call on government at all levels to investigate and bring out illegal international agencies deceiving youths with juicy opportunities and offers that are not real so that trafficking can be reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.
Ezeanyaeche advised youths to desist from any act that would warrant them being trafficked or lured into prostitution and committing other crimes.
He urged youths to embrace skills acquisition and entrepreneurship rather than exposing themselves to the risks associated with illegal migration.
He tasked relevant government agencies, such as the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), NAPTIP, and the National Orientation Agency (NOA), among others, to intensify public enlightenment on the dangers inherent in illegal migration.
“Rather than migrating illegally, it is better to embrace entrepreneurship. Learn a trade and practice, because the pains associated with illegal migration are better imagined than experienced,” he said.
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