Femi Makinde, Osogbo
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has identified secondary school pupils as the most vulnerable to the activities of human traffickers.
The Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Osogbo Zonal Command, Mr. Ganiyu Aganran, said this at Wole Soyinka Government High School, Ejigbo, Osun State, while addressing pupils from secondary schools in the town on the dangers of human trafficking.
Describing female pupils as the main targets of human traffickers, Aganran observed that traffickers often used their female victims as slaves and forced them to become prostitutes or engage in pornography.
He said, “Secondary schools are the most vulnerable because they can be easily manipulated with the conspiracy of their parents.
“From statistics, young Nigerians are being trafficked to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates among other Middle East countries where they are used for slavery.
“There is a high demand for Nigerians for use in the entertainment and pornography industries of Europe and America. Human trafficking has become the fastest growing business in the country and that is why these people are paid to recruit young persons.”
Aganran also stated that the NAPTIP had rescued 103 victims of trafficking in Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Kwara States in the last 11 months. He stated that 75 of the victims were females, while 59 suspected human traffickers arrested by the agency were standing trial in various courts across the country.
He counselled the pupils against falling for the tricks of traffickers, saying the dreams and aspirations of virtually all their victims had been dashed.
The Principal of Wole Soyinka Ejigbo Government High school, Mr Rasheed Oladapo, said that more than 60 per cent of the pupils in the community lived alone.
The principal said investigation had revealed that the pupils’ parents lived in Ivory Coast and they abandoned the youths to face the situation here in Nigeria all alone, warning that this might have negative impact on the lives and academic performances of such pupils.
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