Crime

NSCDC Nabs Two for Trafficking 15-Yr-Old Girl, 2 Others to Libya

By Web News 426

A 56-year-old carpenter, Babatunde Oluwasola and a trader, Dada Fowowe, have been arrested for trafficking a 15-year-old girl and two others to Libya for prostitution.

The suspects were arrested by the officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Ondo state.

They allegedly recruited the girls and trafficked them to Libya in April, this year with the promise of getting them lucrative jobs and live a better life abroad.

Babatunde, who is from Osun state but resides in Akure, reportedly got one of the victims through the help of Dada, aka lya Also, aged 47 he also, resides in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

Vanguard gathered that Babatunde with the nickname ” Osanle” transported the victims through the desert to Libya.

The victims spent two weeks before getting to Libya, where they were to start the illicit business.

One of the victims, the 15-year-old girl, who lived with her parents before embarking on the journey, discovered that she couldn’t cope with the business and later escaped.

She reportedly didn’t tell anyone about her journey to Libya until she arrived there and discovered that she had been deceived by the suspects.

Vanguard learnt that the 15-year-old girl discovered that what she was subjected to was not what she bargained for, hence she reached out to her father who had been looking for her.

The whereabouts of the two other girls remained unknown.

A spokesperson for the command, Aidamenbor Daniel, confirmed the arrest of the two Suspects.

Aidamenbor added that the ” suspects have already made confessional statements and after our investigation, the case will be transferred to NAPTIP for further actions

Vanguard/Simeon Ugbodovon

News

We have rescued over 1000 victims of human trafficking – NAPTIP

By Web News 332

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, Kano Zonal Command said that it has rescued no fewer than 1,085 victims of human trafficking from January to July 2023.

The Public Relations Officer of the zone, Mr. Aliyu Kalli disclosed this while speaking to newsmen on Wednesday.

He also said the 1,085 victims are a combination of 932 victims of irregular migration, who were repatriated and handed over to the agency through the International Organisation for Migration in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria.

He added that the Zonal Command in the period under review also rescued 163 victims of human trafficking on their way to the Niger Republic and Libya, en route to European countries.

Kalli revealed that some victims were rescued in Libya, Niger Republic, and other countries.

He added that the Agency is responsible for the documentation of victims of human trafficking, as well as their counseling, rehabilitation and repatriation.

He explained that analysis done by the Agency revealed that 80 per cent represents female victims while 20 per cent represent male victims.

According to him, the agency in the Zone secured 14 convictions of Human Trafficking for various correctional terms.

The PRO noted that the Agency under the period in review organised campaigns and sensitisation programmes against Human Trafficking and child labour in the markets, schools, and motor parks.

He added that the Agency in the zone had inaugurated Anti Human Trafficking Vanguards in Six Federal Government Colleges of Kano, Jigawa, and Bauchi states.

“NAPTIP in the zone has received and treated many cases of domestic violence,” he said.

He called on the public to provide intelligence to the Agency to curtail the menace of human trafficking in the zone and assured that the door of the Agency is always open for receiving information on human trafficking and child labour.

He applauded other security agencies, Kano State Government, civil society organisations, and religious leaders for their support.

Punch / Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

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Crime

Oyo Repatriates Over One Hundred Indigenes In One Year

By Web News 524

Oyo state government has repatriated over one hundred indigenes of the state who were victims of human trafficking in foreign countries in the last one year.

Also, the state government facilitated the return of over two hundred victims of human trafficking who are Oyo state indigenes from other states.

The Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mrs Bolanle Sarumi-Aliu made this known in Ibadan at the commemoration of Oyo state Diaspora Day.

Mrs Sarumi-Aliu said some of the returnees have been empowered by non governmental Organizations and International Organizations which was facilitated by the state government.

Mrs Sarumi-Aliu enjoined Nigerians in Diaspora to invest in Oyo state as the state government has been providing a friendly environment.

She stressed the need for people to always seek expert advice before applying for foreign jobs.

Other speakers at the programme including representatives of the Federal Ministry of foreign affairs, Nigerians In Diaspora Commission,   Journalists International Forum for Migration, JIFORM and other stakeholders in Diaspora Matters took turns to proffer solutions to challenges confronting migration and ways to attract foreign investments to the state.

While declaring the programme opened, Oyo state Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde reiterated the state’s commitment to contributions of diasporans to the state, which later gave birth to office of the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters.

Speaking through his Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka, Governor Makinde had called on the participants to come up with notable ideas that would be attract foreign investors to the state.

Highlight of the programme was presentation of Awards to outstanding stakeholders in Diaspora Matters.

Olaolu Fawole

Yoruba

Àjọ NAPTIP Gùnlé Ètò Ìdánilẹ́kọ Fáwọn Òsìsẹ́ Rẹ̀ Láti Gbógun Ti Ìwà Ìfinisòwò Lọ́nà Àitọ́

By Web News 766

Àjọ tón gbógun ti fífi èyàn sòwò lọ́nà àitọ́, ti bẹ̀rẹ̀ ìdánilẹ́kọ fún àwọn òsìsẹ́ nípinlẹ̀ lórí gbígbógun ti gbígbé àwọn èyàn kúrò lórílẹ̀èdè yíì lọ́nà àitọ́.

Olùdarí àgbà fájọ ọ̀hún Arábìnrin Julie Okah-Donli ló sọ eléyíì di mímọ̀ lásìkò ìdánilẹ́kọ tó wáyé nílu Èkó, tó sì sàpèjúwe ìdásílẹ̀ ikọ̀ òsìsẹ́ tí yóò máà gbógun ti fífi èyàn sòwò gẹ́gẹ́bí èyí tó se àtẹ́wọ́gbà.

Óní àwọn akópa tí wọ́n se ìdánilẹ́kọ fún ló wá láti ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó, Ògùn àti Ọ̀yọ́.

Arábìnrin Okah-Donli wá sáláyé pé, ikọ̀ náà jẹ́ ara ìgbésẹ̀ tájọ ọ̀hún gbé kalẹ̀ láti mú kíwà ìbàjẹ́ yi dópin sọ pé ìpèníjà tájọ náà ńkojú ki ń se kekére pẹ̀lú àfikún pé àwọn ìlànà àti ètò tuntun ni wọ́n gbọ́dọ̀ lò láti jẹ́ kíwà ìbàjẹ́ ọ̀hún di àfìsẹ́yìn fégún ńfisọ.

Folakemi Wojuade

News Analysis

Intensifying Fights Against Human Trafficking

By Web News 1050

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labour or commercial sex act.

Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide.

This can happen in any community and victims can be of any age, race, gender, or nationality.

Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations.

They also use force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labour or commercial sexual exploitation.

The tracffikers also look for people who are susceptible for a variety of reasons, including psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, natural disasters, or political instability.

Within Nigeria, women and girls are trafficked primarily for domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation.

Boys are trafficked for forced labour in street vending, agriculture, mining, stone quarries, and as domestic servants as well as child workers at the household level.

According to International Organisation for migration, eighty percent of Nigerian women and girls arriving in Italy across the Mediterranean are trafficked for sexual exploitation.

To checkmate this trend, the federal government maintained strong anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts.

Government adopted the trafficking in persons, prohibition, law enforcement and administration act in 2003 which prohibits all forms of trafficking and it introduced, for the first time, severe penalties for the crime of human trafficking.

Also, in 2015 the government passed amendments to the act, increasing the penalties for trafficking offenders, which range from a minimum of five years’, imprison and one million Naira fine, to life imprisonment.

These penalties are not sufficiently stringent, because the law allows convicted offenders to pay a fine in lieu of prison time for labour trafficking or attempted trafficking offenses.

To address these issues, the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP, was established in 2003.

It is heartwarming that states like Lagos, Oyo, Cross River and Ondo have set up a task force on human tracffiking to help reduce the act which poses a threat to the development of the nation.

The mandate given to the task force to arrest anybody caught doing this business should not be taken with kids glove but with all the seriousness it deserves.

Other states that have not done so should emulate them to nip the menace in the bud. 

There is the need to look into the porous borders which serve as lucrative avenues for trafficking business. 

The practice of entrusting poor children to more affluent friends or relatives may create vulnerability to the act which should be discouraged.

Parents should desist from selling their children for money and also stop the habit of sponsoring their children abroad without supervision to escape poverty which in most cases expose them to danger.

Rasheedah Makinde

Crime

NAPTIP Inaugurates Taskforce in Ogun

By Web News 705

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has inaugurated the Ogun Taskforce on Human Trafficking to stem the tide of human trafficking and irregular migration in the state and the country. 

The taskforce is chaired by the Ogun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Gbolahan Adeniran .

The Director General of NAPTIP, Mrs Dame Okah-Donli, in a message to the event in Abeokuta, said that human trafficking presented danger to national security, which must be addressed boldly and frontally. 

Mrs. Okah -Donli explained that the state task force on human trafficking had a pivotal role to play in ensuring adequate sensitization at the grassroots and among vulnerable groups on dangers associated with human trafficking. 

She pointed out that the task force also had a role to play in providing services and support to victims who had been rescued and returned as well as information sharing and law enforcements.

She stated that it required strong political will and budgetary provisions on the part of the state government, in addition to the commitment of traditional institutions, religious and community leaders. 

Inaugurating the 42-man task force, Gov. Dapo Abiodun, said that government must ensure adequate security of lives and property for any nation to experience development.

Governor Abiodun, represented by the Deputy Governor, Engineer Noimot Salako-Oyedele, explained that human trafficking remained a great violation of human rights, saying that government must expedite action to stop the menace in the society. 

The governor urged the people to support and cooperate with the task force, adding that all the requests made by NAPTIP DG to make the task force succeed would be addressed accordingly.

The Chairman of the taskforce, Mr. Adeniran, said that the task force would adopt victim-centred approach, saying that it was important to support victims that were trafficked and also suffered violence.

Members of the task force were drawn from the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), traditional rulers and non-governmental organisations (NGO) among others.

Wale Oluokun

Crime

Oyo Govt. Inaugurates Taskforce on Human Trafficking

By Web News 833

In a bid to end human trafficking, Oyo State Government has inaugurated about thirty task force members.

Radio Nigeria correspondent reports that the members were drawn from different agencies and parastatals which includes the Nigeria Police, Immigration, JPDC and a representative of non-governmental organizations.

The state governor, who was represented by his deputy, engineer Rauf Olaniyan while inaugurating the members, urged them to do all within their capabilities to reduce human trafficking to zero level.

Engineer Seyi Makinde noted that the members were carefully selected in the society.

Director General, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli, said the agency was ready to nip human trafficking in the bud at all cost.

The members pledged their readiness to work together to end human trafficking in the state.

Among those in attendance were representative of Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oloye Lekan Alabi, Oyo State Commissioner for Justice, Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Diaspora.

Lilian Ibomor

Crime

Human Trafficking: Stranded Nigerian Ladies in Lebanon Cry for Help

By Web News 824

Thirty Nigerian ladies trafficked to Lebanon now stranded in the country have appealed to the Nigerian authorities to come to their rescue as videos of their predicament hit the social media.

The Journalists International Forum for Migration (JIFORM), through its President, Ajibola Abayomi, relayed the message after exclusive encounter with victims through a statement on Friday and called for speedy rescue action from the government.

Mr Abayomi said beyond lamentations, JIFORM had forwarded details of the human trafficking agents involved in the matter to the relevant agencies and shall diligently monitor it to the logical conclusion to ensure proper investigation and prosecution of all those involved.

The ladies all camped in one room with faulty toilet and other utilities are presently housed in a building at city of Dawra in Lebanon.

Narrating their ordeals, one of the victims who spoke on behalf of others, Miss Adebisi Oluwatoyin with passport number A10597908, said they had to escape from inhumane treatment being meted on them by their mistresses and assembled at their present location.

The 23 years old lady hails from Ondo State, graduated from the Edo State Polytechnic, Ekpomma and was a resident in Osun state before departing Nigeria in December 2019.

“We are dying here and we need urgent rescue attention from our Nigerian government. We are appealing to Honourable Abike-Dabiri Erewa, Pastor Enoch Adeboye of Redeemed Church, Prophet Genesis of Celestial Church, Apostle Suleiman, Prohet T.B. Joshua and other men of God for prayers and help.

“Help us plead with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and others to save us. The Nigerian embassy in Lebanon have tried but we want to go back home.

“Our stories are pathetic and regrettable. We were told by agents before we left Nigeria that we are going to be paid between N250,000 and N30O,0000 a month as teachers and house maids but getting here we were subjected to sexual labour and other terrible jobs.

“Our belongings and international passports were seized with no payments for the service we have been rendering for months. They loosen and cut our hairs with razor blade.

“Every day, we are being beating with constant harassments from the Lebanese police. Our employers cooked all sorts of stories against us by lying that we stole their gold, killed their children and manhandled their aged ones without any evidence. The police and their immigration are always on their side. We are not getting justice and our lives are in danger.

“At the moment many of us are sick and down with ulcer, tuberculosis and other illness and the hospitals here are not attending to us because we have no document to prove our status. We are dying. It is really a crime to be a black in this world. We want to go back home and shall be contented with whatever rehabilitation scheme government can give us” Adebisi lamented.

Speaking from the United States of America, the Executive Director/Co-Founder of Rescue Africans in Slavery Organisation (RAIS), Ms Omotola Fawunmi that has been responsible for the upkeeps of the ladies pleaded with the government and other agencies to join the rescue mission.

Pr/Adedayo Adelowo

Crime

Human Trafficking: NAPTIP Solicits Synergy among Stakeholders

By Web News 674

As the world celebrates the International Day against Human Trafficking,
the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in
Person, NAPTIP, has called for a synergy among stakeholders to tackle the
menace in the country.

Osogbo zonal commander of the agency, Alhaji Mustapha Saadu made the
call while speaking with Gold FM, Ilesa, on the significance of the
international celebration.

Radio Nigeria correspondent, Temitope Mosadomi has the details.




Crime

Ese Oruru’s Abductor Gets 26 Years Jail Term

By Web News 1278

A Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced Yinusa Dahiru, accused of the abduction of 14-year-old Ese Oruru in August 2015 in Bayelsa State to
26 years in prison.

This followed his conviction by the court presided over by Justice Jane Inyang.

Yinusa popularly called “Yellow” was convicted on four out of the five count charges.

Justice Inyang, who acquitted the accused on Count One, sentenced him to five years on count two, seven years on count three, seven years on count four and seven years on count five on a jail term to run concurrently.

Ese Oruru, then a teenager was abducted and taken to Kano State by Yinusa and where he forcefully married her.

The accused who was arrested in February 2016 after the Police rescued Ese was later arraigned in March 2016 on a five-count charge of abduction, illicit sex, unlawful carnal knowledge, sexual exploitation, human trafficking.

The judgement brings to an end four years of trial at the Court.

Alambo Datonye