By Giwa SHILE
The Benin Zonal Office of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued no fewer than 300 victims of trafficking in Delta between January and August.
The NAPTIP Zonal Commander, Mr Nduka Nwanwenne, made this known on Thursday in Agbor, Delta State, during a sensitisation to the evils of human trafficking.
The event was jointly organised by the agency and Onu Ika, a socio-cultural organisation.
Nwanwenne said the chunk of the victims rescued from Libya hailed from Delta, adding that the agency had also arrested 12 suspected traffickers within the same period.
He said the sensitisation followed the NAPTIP Director-General, Julie Ojah-Donli’s visit and lecture held during Onu Ika day celebration.
The zonal commander explained that available statistics on human trafficking revealed that indigenes of Ika North and Ika South were victims of human trafficking from Delta.
According to him, the unpalatable situation makes it imperative for the agency to collaborate with the socio-cultural organisation in tackling the menace.
He said most of the human traffickers often feign ignorance of the evils associated with human trafficking while the victims made their money from the sale of their vital organs.
He lauded the traditional rulers of the 52 communities and the people for their cooperation in the fight against human trafficking.
In his remarks, the Head of Collective Leadership of Onu Ika, Martins Usifoh, said the sensitisation became necessary considering the exodus of their youths in search of greener pasture in foreign countries.
Usifoh said the the Onu Ika had previously assumed the community could overcome the menace without external assistance but decided to solicit NAPTIP cooperation because it had realised its limitations.
He attributed the exodus of their youths to foreign countries to greed and ignorance rather than unemployment and quest for greener pasture.
The paramount ruler advocated reorientation of the youths to imbibe the right values, including contentment honesty and hard work.
