Nigerian first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has called on youths to avoid becoming easy targets for human traffickers. This is even as she enjoyed them to shun crimes by embracing the virtues of patience and hard work.
Tinubu stated this during a meeting with the Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Hajia Binta Lami Adamu Bello, and top management officials at the State House, Abuja.
This was contained in a statement by the first lady’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi.
She said “The get-rich-quick syndrome is not helping matters. Even our religious institutions are doing prosperity preaching. Even the Bible talks about work.
“The social media is also not helping. Nollywood as well.”
Tinubu described the increasing cases of human trafficking as disheartening. She lamented the recent raid on a baby factory in Abuja where 19 pregnant young girls were rescued.
The first lady, therefore, pledged her full support for NAPTIP’s efforts to combat trafficking. She noted that it would start with mobilizing the wives of State Governors to raise awareness and strengthen the advocacy.
In her remark, the NAPTIP DG, sought the First Lady’s support for NAPTIP’s renewed campaign against human trafficking and gender-based violence
The DG, therefore, stressed the urgency of the situation. She noted that “trafficking in persons is the second largest transnational organized crime in the world after drug trafficking. “It is also a huge menace in Nigeria and requires the buy-in and active engagement of critical stakeholders to fight it,” she said.
The Director General highlighted significant challenges confronting the agency, such as resource mobilization and legal gaps. She, however, noted that in spite of that, the NAPTIP’ has recorded some successes. These the DG said included recent the rescue of 21 young victims taken from Niger State en route to the Republic of Niger.
Bello also highlighted areas of need of the agency. These, she said included skills acquisition, awareness advocacy, provision of adequate shelter and legislative support. She stated that these are the key areas where intervention from the First Lady would be invaluable.
source: The Nation
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