Trafficking: FGN Pledges To End ‘Modern Slavery’
POLITICS DIGEST – The Federal Government of Nigeria has promised to do all within its power to end trafficking of young vulnerable Nigerians by criminal elements to Europe for sex slavery and other illicit activities.
This is even as the British Government and the International Organisation for Migration, IOM, pledged to continue to lend their support to Nigeria in combating the menace.
Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola made this known at an event held at the British High Commission to commemorate the 2021 International Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
Mr Aregbesola, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Shuaib Belgore described trafficking in persons as modern day slavery which the government will strive to root out.
He commended the British Government and the IOM for the support and collaborations which they have rendered in such regard over the years.
The minister said: “Today being the International Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we do appreciate the deep relationship we have both historically and culturally as well as familiar ties between the UK and Nigeria and the collaboration we are having in other fields including the field that seeks to fight trafficking in persons.
“Trafficking in Person is a scourge; it is a compendium of denied opportunities going up to as far as modern day slavery.
“It is a challenge and a scourge that has to be fought and brought to a standstill.
“The government of Nigeria is determined in this effort and all our agencies and partners will continue to work hand in hand to find how to conquer this scourge,” he said.
The theme for the 2021 Commemoration is: “Victims’ Voices Lead the Way” – a theme coined to highlight the importance of victims’ experiences in combating trafficking.
Speaking on the theme of the Trafficking Day, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing said that giving voice to victims can help prevent others from suffering what they suffered.
She said that there is nothing as powerful as the testimonies of people who have been victims and those who have survived trafficking.
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Ms Laing however pointed out that part of efforts that must be put in place to ensure that the menace was curbed was to secure convictions against the individuals and brains responsible.
The envoy said that it was also imperative victims and survivors to be treated with empathy and also to better understand the real challenges they have gone through and working with them.
She said: “Many victims and survivors may have experienced a lot of ignorance, misunderstanding and misbelief when they are trying to get help from the authorities and people who feel that they are to blame will not come forward to support them.
“It is crucial that we have proper legal and investigative processes because this could be extremely traumatic for people recounting their experiences so we need to design legal processes with empathy for the victim at the heart of it.
“The other thing we need to think about is how to re integrate people into their communities.
“The UK is very proud of its work here in Nigerian with IOM, with Edo with NAPTIP and others, we have a very strong partnership and I think we have achieved a huge amount,” she said.
For the Chief of Mission of IOM, Frantz Celestin, a major feat in the quest to counter trafficking was the collaboration with the UK government and governments of Nigeria and Niger.
He said that the cooperation which gave birth to the Collaboration Against Trafficking and Smuggling, CATS, project, has greatly enhanced migration governance.
He said that the CATS project helps to improve the capability of Nigerian and Nigerien officials to effectively manage borders and prevent smuggling.
“Our ultimate goal is to strengthen Nigeria and Niger’s response to smuggling of migrants, prevention of trafficking in persons and the management of borders in an integrated and secure manner,” he said.
“As we stand here on the eve of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, nothing better civilizes IOM’s commitment to fighting this horrendous crime than supporting the implementation of Phase II of the CATS project.
“Our ultimate goal is to strengthen Nigeria and Niger’s response to smuggling of migrants, prevention of trafficking in persons and the management of borders in an integrated and secure manner,” he said.
