.Special Plenary Coming to Tackle Menace
The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, has advocated a stronger inter-agency collaboration among security agencies to tackle the menace of human trafficking in the state.
He also made a case for measures for support and rehabilitation of rescued victims of human trafficking for them to fit in to the society and live a life that would be meaningful to them and communities where they find themselves.
The Speaker made the remarks on Monday when he received the Head of the Ekiti State Liaison Office of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr. Samson Oladimeji Ademola, who led other senior officials of the agency on a courtesy visit.
Rt. Hon. Aribasoye said the Assembly would partner with NAPTIP to reduce the incidence of human trafficking which he described as harrowing and dehumanizing to dignity of persons of victims whom he said have the right to live decent lives.
The Speaker identified a stronger and more efficient collaboration among security agencies like the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service among others as very key to reducing and stamping out human trafficking in the state.
He identified the areas the Assembly would partner with NAPTIP to include the convocation of a special plenary session on human trafficking that would involve stakeholders like the traditional institution, security agencies, justice system sector, civil society organizations, transport unions, market women association, and student and youth bodies, among others.
According to him, resolutions passed against human trafficking from such a special plenary would be passed to the relevant agencies and quarters for implementation urging the Ekiti office of the agency to invite the Director General of NAPTIP to be part of the special plenary to drive home the seriousness attached to the issue.
The Speaker further promised legislative support for advocacy against human trafficking and also enlisted the Assembly members, local government chairmen and councillors to carry out outreaches and enlightenment campaigns in their constituencies, council areas and wards in the fight against the menace.
Reacting to the needs of Ekiti NAPTIP for a permanent office accommodation, operational vehicles and other logistics, the Speaker urged the authorities of the agency to forward letters to that effect to the Governor for assistance and copy same to the Assembly to assist in following up.
Rt. Hon. Aribasoye said serious enlightenment would have to be done to change the orientation of the youth against embarking on illegal and dehumanizing trips to foreign countries identifying ignorance and greed as parts of the factors responsible for human trafficking.
He said: “Majority of the people lured into it (human trafficking) was out of ignorance and greed. We have to first address these issues especially the issue of greed among our younger generation.
“Whatever form of trafficking is inhuman, that is why we are praising you for protecting the vulnerable. Nobody on Ekiti State should be subjected to such inhuman treatment.
“I saw one of the victims who narrated her experience, it was a harrowing experience and I saw the reality of what human trafficking could do to somebody. We need to fight it together for us to win this battle.”
Speaking earlier, the Head of Ekiti NAPTIP Liaison Office, Mr. Ademola disclosed that this year’s World Trafficking Day coincided with the 20 years anniversary of the establishment of NAPTIP in Nigeria and the need to scale up the fight against all forms of human trafficking.
Mr. Ademola explained that the agency needed logistics support to sustain the fight against human trafficking especially in the areas of permanent office accommodation and operational vehicles to ensure its smooth operation in the state.
He explained that the agency presently operates from a two-room temporary office accommodation which he described as inadequate noting that Ekiti office can only be accorded the status of a zonal command if it has a permanent operational headquarters.
Mr. Ademola further explained NAPTIP needs operational vehicles that would ease patrol, arrest and transportation of suspects to the courts of law to facilitate their prosecution.
Identifying Ekiti South senatorial district as an endemic area for human trafficking in the state, the NATIP chief disclosed that eight girls from Ekiti Southwest local government area who were being trafficked to Libya were rescued by the agency.
He said the partnership with Ekiti Assembly would help to take the fight against human trafficking to all localities with the legislators being the representatives of the people in the grassroots.