Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has called upon Nigerians who envision a brighter future for the country to join forces in combating the heinous crime of human trafficking. Mr. Arinze Orakwe, the Director of Training and Manpower Development at NAPTIP, expressed deep concern over the alarming rise in Nigerians being trafficked both domestically and internationally by trafficking cartels.
Orakwe highlighted the distressing trend of underage Nigerians being trafficked within the country and forced into brothels. He revealed that, as of May 2023, NAPTIP had successfully rescued and provided shelter for approximately 13,026 females, 4,727 males, and 8,935 children who had fallen victim to these syndicates. Perhaps most heartrending of all is the fact that many of these victims have had their organs tampered with, as they were often drugged before organ harvesters took advantage of them, leaving the victims unaware until their rescue.
With an earnest appeal, Orakwe urged parents to maintain constant vigilance over their children, ensuring that they do not become prey to these criminal networks. He called upon parents and guardians to guide their wards toward safe migration pathways if they wish to travel abroad. Furthermore, he implored all stakeholders involved in the fight against this menace to promptly report any brothels that exploit underage Nigerians to the police or NAPTIP.
In their relentless pursuit of justice, NAPTIP has already taken action by shutting down numerous brothels across the country, particularly those involved in the exploitation of underage individuals. The agency sincerely requested the support of well-meaning individuals and organizations in providing updates on the activities of these syndicates, emphasizing the importance of collaboration to eradicate this grave injustice from society.
