Edo State Task Force Against Human Trafficking (ETAHT) has said the government is deploying resources for advocacy and sensitisation campaigns to stem the incidence of illegal migration and human trafficking in the state.
Representative of the Chairperson of ETAHT, Mrs. Lilian Garuba, said during a meeting with a delegation from the Switzerland Federal Commission on Migration that the task force has been involved in several activities geared towards total eradication of the scourge of human trafficking and irregular migration in the state.
Garuba, who is also the assistant secretary of the task force, said the state government identified advocacy as a strong tool to curb the incidence of human and illegal migration, as the task force is carrying out series of advocacy programmes to sensitise people on the dangers of irregular migration.
Noting that the awareness campaign is mainly carried out in markets, schools and streets, she said ETAHT has received 4,744 returnees from Libya in 54 batches from the last quarter of 2017 till date, as well as 10 female returnees from Russia.
Garuba noted that the state government provided medical assistance to the returnees, noting that 10 percent of the returnees with serious medical challenges were admitted.
She said the 4,744 returnees from Libya came through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) support programme.
Migration Adviser, Embassy of Switzerland, Jolanda Pfister Herren, expressed appreciation on the approach deployed by the state government in tackling human trafficking.
She said her delegation is in the state to evaluate the government’s commitment to addressing illegal migration and human trafficking and other issues relating to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who are victims of human trafficking. She said the Switzerland government is ready to collaborate with the Edo State government and its task force.