campaigns in progress
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has inaugurated vanguard campaign against human trafficking in secondary schools in Enugu State.
The South East Zonal Commander of the Agency, Mr Jonathan Ukpai, said in Enugu that the programme was carried out in collaboration with International Center for Migration and Policy Development (ICMPD).
According to him, the agency inaugurated 30 students each in Community Secondary School Obeagu, in Nkanu West, local government area and Community Secondary School Obuoffia respectively as NAPTIP vanguard.
The commander said that the NAPTIP vanguard would carry out campaign against human trafficking in their various schools.
He said that they came to sensitise the students to be NAPTIP voice while NAPTIP would be their hand in the campaign against human trafficking.
The zonal commander described trafficking as modern day slavery, adding that they had tutored the inaugurated students on how to detect, identify, prevent and report case of human trafficking.
He, however, said that their target was secondary school students as they could be easily confused and distracted, noting that if they were not informed on the dangers, they would fall victim.
Ukpai lamented that the use of social media had led so many students into what they did not know, advising them to be focused on their studies and avoid dealing with unknown people.
He advised that both teachers, religious leaders, parents should carry out campaigns against human trafficking to secure the future of their youths who are the leaders of tomorrow.
Also speaking, the Enugu State Commissioner for Justice, Dr Kingsley Udeh, advised students not to be deceived by strangers with the aim of searching for greener pasture.
Represented by Mrs Caroline Avah, a Senior Staff, Enugu Ministry of Justice, he encouraged students to work hard while in school as so many opportunities were out there waiting for them.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, said that all hand must be on deck to fight the menace of human trafficking.
Represented by the Director of School Services, Enugu State Ministry of Education, Mrs Francisca Nwokolo, Mbah said getting money by all means was forcing youth into trafficking.
Responding, the Principal of Community Secondary School Obeagu, Mrs Ezinne Nwatu and that of Obuoffia, Mrs Ugomsinachi Eze, applauded NAPTIP for finding their schools worthy of being among the selected schools.
They promised to assist the inaugurated students to educate others students on the dangers associated with human trafficking.
The Traditional Ruler of Obuoffia Autonomous Community, Igwe Fadnand Ugwu, urged students whose parents were not there to take the NAPTIP message home.
He encouraged them to advise their parents to give birth to the number of children that they could adequately take care of.
