Over 11,000 Nigeria women trafficked for s*x slave in Europe in 2016 ― FG

THE Federal Government has expressed concerned about the rising trend of illegal migration and death tolls in the Mediterranean Sea involving young Nigerian men and women.

Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, raised the concern at the presentation of a book, “From Frying Pan to Fire: How African Migrants Risk Everything in their Futile Search for a Better Life in Europe” authored by Olusegun Adeniyi, a former Senior Special Assistant on Media to Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

She said Nigerian experience in this regard is gruesome and worrisome, disclosing that about 36,000 Nigerians, 21 per cent of total 171,299 immigrants arrived Europe by Sea in 2016.

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She added that in the same year, 2016, the number of Nigerian women trafficked mostly for sex work into Europe doubled, rising from 5,600 in 2015 to 11,009 in 2016.

The Federal Commissioner also recalled sadly that in January 11, 2018, 200 Nigerians were drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, adding to the alarming toll in the previous years.

“l wish to thank the organizers of this event and to appreciate the wisdom behind the concept of the book we all have gathered here today to witness its presentation.

“I picked interest in this book “From Frying Pan to Fire” especially when it digressed to present a caption “how African migrant risk everything in their futile search for a better life in Europe”.

“My interest on this book was necessitated by the fact that the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons in one of its mandates, is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating and managing migration and migration related issues in Nigeria,” she said..

Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said it was ironic that Nigeria with all her beautiful cities, especially Abuja is home to the poorest people in the world.

He noted that even though illegal migration was a global issue, concrete efforts must be made to address the challenge in Africa and other underdeveloped nations of the world.

Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, admitted that 65 per cent of those involved in human trafficking were from his State, noting that his administration has seen this as a problem is doing all what is needed to curb the menace.

He said even though his State government had to run in conflict with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), by creating an anti-trafficking Agency, the initiative was the compliment the effort of the Federal government.

He disclosed that the state has recorded over 4,000 returnees of victims trafficking and illegal migration who were recently repatriated from Libya.

The author, Segun Adeniyi, said poverty and ignorance were basically responsible for the illegal migration hence the choice of the title From Fry Pan to Fire.

He painted the gory and the pains the illegal migrants and victims of human trafficking had to pass through in the 184 page book, in the bid to get to Europe and the futility of the adventure with many dying in the process while who survived recounted their horrendous experiences.