By Timothy Ekpo
UYO
Stakeholders in the humanitarian affairs of government have called for the formulation of stringent policies, laws and advocacy to check the spate of human trafficking and associated crimes in Akwa Ibom.
anitarian Affairs, Akwa Ibom State, on the theme, “Strengthening Communities by Connecting the Dots”.
Setting the tone for the event organised in partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour ( NACTAL), the permanent secretary, Mrs Eno Akpan, said the event was to mark the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, celebrated annually on January 11.
Akpan stated that as a ministry, its focus was to improve on the dignity of persons in the state a task she noted had compelled Government to establish the ministry to impact on the socio-economic lives of the people in line with the ARISE Agenda, which steps have been taken to build compassionate homes for the poorest of the poor and provision of houses to over 150 junior civil servants in the state as well as the training and empowerment of over 800 youths and disbursement of business grant to 15,000 youths.
She noted that building the capacity of youths was the reason for the event on the fact that the youths, w This was one of the resolutions taken at a stakeholders interaction to mark the 2025 National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, organised in Uyo by the Ministry of Hum
omen and children were the most vulnerable to human trafficking, a development that had prompted the setting aside of January 11 for the National Human Trafficking Awareness campaign, to sensitise people on the dangers of human trafficking.
Akpan told the gathering that the aim was to promote a better society, for which the Ministry had sought the involvement of the NAPTIP, NACTAL, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nigerian Immigration Services, to discuss that alarming statistics of human trafficking in the state.
The permanent secretary said the state of human trafficking was so odious that nothing should be done to sustain it, but positive approaches of policy formulation, laws, advocacy and awareness creation.
She explained that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs was set up by government to coordinate, and promote social system across the state, by integrating best practices, mechanisms and solutions through effective utilisation of data and research.
Akpan stated that the advocacy on human trafficking and other social welfare system were part of the Ministry’s mandate that would be sustained to ensure that adequate awareness was created, especially in the rural communities to ease situations where victims were deceived and trafficked.
She assured that Akwa Ibom government will continue to come up with programmes that would address poverty, set policies that would help agencies to tackle issues of human trafficking in the state to improve the dignity of the Akwa Ibom person.
Akpan pointed out that poverty was relative and there was no way government could do everything, adding that while parents must take responsibility for the welfare of their children, there was need for youths to be ready to work hard to earn a living.
Presenting an overview of human trafficking, the head, Public Enlightenment Unit, NAPTIP, Ms Eme Akpabio, who represented the zonal commander, Mr Emmanuel Aweh, said Akwa Ibom was endemic to human trafficking, where unsuspected victims have been trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour and organs harvesting which is now rampant in Uyo.
Akpabio described the trend as a monster and modern day slavery that has attracted the concerns of local and international bodies to work tirelessly to stop the trend globally.
She stated that human trafficking has had people being deceived and persuaded with non-existing lucrative opportunities, but ended up being forced into prostitution, child labour, organs harvest and child birth with little or no reward.
“Human trafficking is the buying and selling of human being for the sole purpose of exploitation”, with key elements in the act of recruitment, transportation, transfer and harbouring for whatever form of exploitation the trafficking was effected.
Akpabio noted that in Akwa Ibom, statistics showed that from 2005 when the zone was created, thousands of children and young girls have been trafficked for various purposes and the situation was endemic with each senatorial district having its unique trafficking intent, ranging from prostitution, sexual exploitation and baby sales mostly pioneered by traditional birth attendants and faith-based groups.
She said the Uyo zonal office has worked hard, making several rescue operations of trafficked victims, conviction, while other cases were still being investigated, but lamented that some cases have not been addressed as victims, most times, refused to provide information that could help the command achieve its objectives.
Akpabio stressed the need for the state to come up with a strong policy that would complement the efforts of the Federal Government to fight human trafficking.
NACTAL representative, Amb. Peace Edem, said it was disturbing that the trend of human trafficking had assumed a new dimension using ICT, with available application which young girls displaying nudity for clients to locate them for sexual purposes.
Edem explained that there were several locations in the country where young girls from the state were trafficked to for prostitution and there was need for adequate sensitisation to check the trend, especially when most of them do not have pre-knowledge of their involvement.
NACTAL stated that to address human trafficking effectively, it was essential to connect the dots by strengthening community based initiative, which the Network believes that has helped and will continue to help prevent trafficking and protect victims and prosecute perpetrators of the crime.
He noted that human trafficking was a highly influenced and dreaded trade that have claimed so many lives, adding that a sad situation where 64 young girls left the shores of Nigeria and only 15, with the dying on transit, returned to tell how they had to drink their urine in the desert was so pathetic, with the option that human trafficking needed to be fought with appropriate legislation.
In commemoration of the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, the Network called on government agencies to strengthen laws and policies, increase funding for anti human trafficking initiative and enhance partnership with the media and civil society groups for fight the menace.
Edem harped on the need for communities to continue to report cases of human trafficking to appropriate quarters, while individuals should raise awareness for action and assured that NACTAL will remain committed to work with government agencies to prevent trafficking and protect victims of trafficking.
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