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General News of Tuesday, 3 August 2021

Source: www.thisdaylive.com

Human Trafficking: 95% of victims are female

Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran

The Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Akingbolahan Adeniran, has said that many victims of human trafficking have experienced ignorance or misunderstanding in their attempt to get help, saying that they have had traumatic post-rescue experiences during identification and legal proceedings.

Adeniran stated this at this year, 2021 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, organized by the Ogun State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking (OGTAHT), held on June 12, Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights; indeed, every year, thousands of men, women, children fall into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad”, Adeniran said. He added that some have faced revictimization and punishment for crimes they were forced to commit by their traffickers, noting that others have been subjected to stigmatization, or received inadequate support.

The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Southwest, Regional Director, Mrs. Tolu Odugbesan said that the female gender has been described as the most vulnerable of human trafficking, as 95% falls victims of the nefarious act, saying male gender were only 5% vulnerable to being victims of human trafficking in the country.

Speaking earlier, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Legal Matters, Mr. Olumide Mustapha, also so said OGTAHT is working with various security outfits and NAPTIP, in order to rehabilitate victims of human trafficking in the State through skills acquisition such as tailoring, catering, as well as engaging them in sporting activities among others.

“About 200 are victims of human trafficking in Ogun State, but our Taskforce has been working with the Zonal Command of NAPTIP in the State, we have various sub-Committee which are being tasked with providing physical, health and mental support, as well as helping the victims find shelters, including tracing their families and reintegrating them back into the society”, Mustapha said.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Adijat Adeleye pointed out that the most challenging aspect of it was that most of the victims do not want to speak up because of victimization, adding that it was the reason Taskforce was put in place, in order for the victims to see the reasoning as to why they need to speak out against Human Trafficking, as well as give them necessary assistance by reuniting them with their families.

One of the victims who spoke on the ground of anonymity, said the security personnel at every stopover and at border point work in collaboration with the traffickers, urging the Government at all levels to rejuvenate the security architecture of the country, particularly at the border areas.

She said the youths should be well engaged by Government at all levels, with enough awareness against human trafficking, particularly at the grassroots level.