Former Minority Leader and Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District at the Senate, Mrs Biodun Olujimi, has bemoaned how Nigerians were being trafficked abroad for prostitution, slavery and for other nefarious crimes, calling on the federal government to devise ways of saving the country from this global ignominy.
Olujimi said thousands of Nigerians are still trapped in Europe, Asia and other continents despite the efforts of the federal government through its agencies like; National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
Addressing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital on Sunday, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) senator said, ” Our youth especially female, are still being lured by false and unrealistic promises to make the dangerous journeys to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, where they are subjected to gender-based violence and other forms of inhumane treatment.
“Many of our unemployed youth leave Nigeria and risk their lives to seek greener pastures in these countries, but most end up in exploitative and slavish situations.”
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The Federal lawmaker added that the UN has highlighted the importance of anti-trafficking exploits of government and the need to seek justice for victims of these crimes to reduce the perpetration of the horrendous act.
“We are aware that Nigeria is routinely listed as one of the countries with the largest number of trafficking victims especially to Europe through Libya and the Mediterranean with many of our young ones especially women have been identified in over 30 countries in one official report, while many lost their lives during the crossing of sea and desert,” she said.
She commended NAPTIP and NiDCOM commitments to stopping the scourge, calling for vigilance and strict regulation for the granting of licences for international recruitments.
Olujimi added that some of the agencies masquerading as travel agencies for overseas job seekers are receptive and do not mean well for those they recruit, especially the female folks.
The lawmaker, who is currently working on the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill in the National Assembly to provide protection for girls and women added: “We are looking forward to a more holistic methodology to be adopted through co-operation between the different agencies, that is, a multi-agency strategy, so that every aspect of the problem can be tackled simultaneously.”
According to Senator Olujimi deepening awareness within our communities, including remote villages where millions of the vulnerable reside, about the unscrupulous activities of traffickers, would also go a long way to cutting off all the supply lines and reduce the victims.
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