The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) has narrated how a father locked up his daughter’s hair salon shop for refusing to be trafficked to Italy.
NAPTIP director general, Dr. Fatima Wazir-Azi, said this during a sensitization campaign and community dialogue against human trafficking in Idunmwuniye community, Edo state, in collaboration with the Oba of Benin taskforce on human trafficking.
Represented by Edo State NAPTIP Benin zonal commander, Bar. Nduka Nwanene said the dialogue is aimed at finding solutions, and creating and implementing action plans to address challenges related to human trafficking and unsafe migration practices prevalent in the communities in the state.
“The father (name withheld) called his daughter that he has concluded arrangement for her to go to Italy and make money for the family but she said no.”
“The father got annoyed and locked up her salon shop and threatened to disown her since she had refused to travel to make money for the family. Parents should stop forcing their children to embark on this dangerous journey because many lives have been destroyed all in the name of making money for the family abroad”.
“We are not saying people should not travel abroad, everybody has a right to travel but you must travel safely and with the right documents so that you would not be exploited and forced into sex slavery, prostitution and force labour among others.”
She said NAPTIP is partnering with traditional institutions and communities because traffickers have shifted focus to communities while many people are not still aware of the danger inherent in human trafficking and irregular migration.
“This sensitization targeted endemic communities such as Idunmwuniye and its, Idogbo, Obagie, Ewesie, Ehor, Igieduma, Ogan, Ugoneki and Abudu in Ikpoba-Okha, Uhunmwode and Orhionmwon Local Governments”.
“We also target critical stakeholders such as the Odionweres, women leaders, vigilante groups, artisans, religions leaders, town cries, teachers, students and youths among others”.
She commended the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, for setting up a task force on human trafficking and placing curses on human traffickers which said has sent cold shivers on human traffickers across the State.
On his part, the representative of the Oba of Benin, Chief Isaac Oghafua Oyeoba, (Oyeoba of Benin), said the Benin monarch and the palace are totally against human trafficking. “In 2018, he placed a curse on those responsible for human trafficking in the state. That curse still exists because it lasts forever; anyone who disobeys it will get the repercussion”.
“The palace is against human trafficking and that is why it suggested to the NAPTIP boss during her visit that the sensitization should be brought to the nook and cranny of the state especially Edo South,” he said
He said as part of measures to stem the scourge, the palace also established an NGO that took care of returned migrants, trained and resettle them in collaboration with the government”.
Also speaking, a youth in the community, Mr Osasere Osawaru, attributed the scourge to poverty and unemployment and appealed to the government at all levels to give priority to youth employment and job creation to address the scourge.
