NAPTIP convicts 6 traffickers during COVID-19 lockdown in Edo

The National Agency For The Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has said that a total of six persons were convicted for offences relating to foreign sexual exploitation and human trafficking during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Benin Zonal Commander of the agency, Mrs Ijeoma Uduak, who disclosed this on Friday in Benin at an Awareness Campaign against Trafficking of Youths held in Auchi, Etsako-West and Owan-East Local Government Area of the state, said the command had more cases that were on the verge of judgement.

“Covid-19 did not deter the agency from carrying out his mandate. During this covid-19, the NAPTIP Benin Zonal Command recorded six convictions and more cases are still on the verge of judgement. The cases were human trafficking for foreign travel for the purpose of sexual exploitation,” Uduak said.

The NAPTIP Benin commander said the awareness and sensitisation campaign against human trafficking became imperative due to the scourge of human trafficking and child labour in some parts of the country.

“The agency is fully committed to the prevention of all forms of human degradation and exploitation through the coordinated use of the nation’s crime and law enforcement resources to stamp out human trafficking in the country”, she assured.

According to her, ” today we are creating awareness on what human trafficking is, the recruitment, transportation, purchase of an individual within or outside Nigeria by means of deception, and coercion for the purpose of exploitation”.

“We have given them the antics and modules of varieties of human traffickers so that they are now aware and they are like the one that will take the message down to the rural communities,” she said.

The traditional ruler of Afuze, Mr Peter Uanzekin and other participants thanked the agency for bringing the campaign to their locality.

They promised to pass the message to the nook and cranny of the two local government on the danger associated with human trafficking.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Kamala Harris Becomes America’s First Female Vice President

Kamala Harris made history on Saturday with her election as Joe Biden’s vice president, becoming the first woman, first Black American and first Asian American to win the second-highest US office.NAPTIP convicts 6 traffickers