The Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and Chairman of the Delta State Task Force on Human Trafficking, Mr Ekemejero Ohwovoriole SAN, has said that as part of measures to tackle human trafficking, the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, signed the Delta State Human Trafficking Prohibition Bill into law.
Ohwovoriole disclosed this in Asaba during a one-day sensitisation on human trafficking organised by the Delta State Taskforce on Human Trafficking for the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Commercial Tricycle Owners Association, and Private Park Owners in Delta State in collaboration with the Directorate of Transport and the Girls Power Initiative, in commemoration of the 2024 International Migrants Day held in Asaba.
Ohwovoriole said transporters in the state have a role to play in the fight against human trafficking, adding that they should support the state government to eradicate human trafficking by going the extra mile to observe the demeanour of their passengers to notice and report any red flags.
He said that now that the law is in place in the state, strict penalties will be meted out to persons found wanting, including the seizure of transportation vehicles used for human trafficking.
Speaking further, the representative of the State Commissioner for Transport, Engr. Victor Omoniyi, stated that Delta State has its transportation data management law, adding that the data of whoever is transiting through the parks must be taken.
He warned them not to allow anybody who failed to give them their proper data to transit through their parks, informing the transporters that if the state government discovered that anybody was trafficking persons through their parks, the parks would not only be closed and their vehicles seized, but they would also pay fines and possibly be sentenced to jail.
The Transport Commissioner told participants to take the sensitisation seriously.
On her part, Mrs May Ikoghode Ekido, the coordinator of Girls Power Initiative (GPI), who was one of the facilitators at the event, appreciated the Attorney-General for the support their organisation has been receiving from him, especially for making it possible for them to meet with other stakeholders in the state, and further proposed a meeting with the Ministry of Justice at a roundtable.
She stated that recent research has shown that the state has a high incidence of human trafficking and expressed hope that with the Delta State Human Trafficking Prohibition Law, the state would record tremendous achievements in the fight against human trafficking.
Also facilitating the event, Mrs Nwanze Ijeoma implored the transporters to take the issue of trafficking very seriously and be on the lookout, as it always has negative impacts and anyone could fall victim to it.
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