By Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has inaugurated a 30-member Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Violence Against Persons (A-TIPVAP) Vanguard in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, to combat human trafficking and violence against persons in schools.
The Vanguard is a component of the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and NAPTIP to create awareness and drive action.
Inaugurating the Vanguard at Government Secondary School (GSS), 72 Barracks, North Bank, Makurdi, on Thursday, the NAPTIP Zonal Commander of the Makurdi Zonal Command, Gloria Bai, sensitised the students on the dangers of human trafficking and violence against persons.
She charged the Vanguard members to advocate actively against trafficking activities within the school and to report any suspicious incidents to the appropriate authorities.
Bai warned students against falling prey to fraudulent overseas job offers, unverified scholarships, and deceptive opportunities, emphasising that trafficking takes many forms, including sexual exploitation of minors, forced labour, and coercion.
She identified the key causes of human trafficking as greed, over-ambition, lack of parental care, ignorance, and poverty, urging students to be cautious of anyone who insists on secrecy regarding travel plans abroad.
Also speaking, the Project Officer of STEAP, Langyi Selbol, explained that the initiative is a four-year programme funded by the Netherlands government and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
He noted that the Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Persons Vanguard inaugurated at the school is a key component of the STEAP project.
Selbol said the primary objective of STEAP is to educate students, particularly those aged 6 to 16 years, on the tactics of traffickers, enabling them to recognise and avoid such threats.
He encouraged students not only to steer clear of traffickers but to report them to NAPTIP for immediate action.
He further disclosed that the STEAP project is being implemented in five Nigerian states, including Benue, Enugu, Ogun, Edo, and Delta.
The Attorney General and Benue State Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Barr Fidelis Mnyim, represented by the Director of Public Prosecution, Barr Dooshima Otserga, urged students to speak out against trafficking and assured them of legal protection.
He said, “Do not be afraid to report cases of trafficking. Speak out so that the law can take its course against the perpetrators.”
The Principal of Government Secondary School, 72 Barracks, Makurdi, Mrs Kasuah Angela, expressed delight at the programme launch, describing it as a dream come true.
She assured NAPTIP of the school’s full support in ensuring the success of the project.
Speaking on behalf of the newly inaugurated Vanguard, Adeva Isaiah, an SS3 student, acknowledged the extensive training they had received and reaffirmed their commitment to the fight against human trafficking.
Adeva said, “The world has become very dangerous. We must all be vigilant and report any suspected trafficking activities to the Vanguard or to relevant authorities for proactive action.”
The event featured the unveiling of the Anti-Trafficking Vanguard signboard, the presentation of kits to Vanguard members by NAPTIP, and a drama performance by students on the realities of human trafficking.
To report human trafficking cases, NAPTIP provided its helplines: 627 or 07030000203.