The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Lagos Zonal Command on Friday joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2021 world Day Against Trafficking in Persons with the theme: “Let the voices of victims lead the way”.
As part of activities lined up to mark the day, NAPTIP officials and stakeholders from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Lagos Chamber of Commerce, Legal Hub University of Lagos and Live Abundantly Organisation,
among many other non-governmental and government agencies were led by the NAPTIP Lagos State Zonal Commander, Mr. Agaran Alao on a road walk to sensitise the public and create awareness on human trafficking and its negative effects.
The walk, which started from the NAPTIP Lagos office in Ikeja GRA, took participants to the Allen Junction in Ikeja and it’s environs, saw NAPTIP officials distributing leaflets and contacts to members of the public to enlighten them of the dangers of human trafficking.
Speaking, Alao said the theme is apt as the voices of survivors of human trafficking, sex slavery tell a true rhetoric of the dangers inherent in human trafficking.
He said: “This year’s day against human trafficking is dedicated to victims of human trafficking. We want to ensure that the rights of the victims and survivors of human trafficking is protected. We want to use the occasion to create awareness on the situation of the victims. The theme of this year’s day on human trafficking is that victims’ voices lead the way and we want to ensure that whatever we are doing, the victims are part of it.
“We also want to create a survivor advocacy group where a lot of things can be done for them. We want them to be empowered and not be re- trafficked. We want them to be empowered to live well in the society.”
Alao said that over 3000 persons had been rescued from countries they were trafficked to by the Lagos zonal command this year, adding that all hands must be on deck to fight the menace.
An Associate Professor, Mrs . Iyabode Ogundiran, the representative of Anti-human Trafficking Hub, University of Lagos, said the scourge of human trafficking is all over the world and creating awareness of the victims’ plights should be a continuous exercise as she urges members of the public to be careful not to fall prey to the trafficking ring.
Sister Felicia of the Bakhista Foundation urged the government to address the push factors fuelling illegal migration