Mr Ademola Osibelowo, Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA), has appealed to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to involve CDCs in the war against human trafficking.
He said that including CDCs as board members of NAPTIP’s war against Trafficking in Persons (TiP) would strengthen it and make the agency’s enlightenment programmes have more impact.
According to the CDC chairman, NAPTIP should consider including CDCs on the Anti-Human Taskforce Board, adding that the taskforce was inaugurated in 2020.
He said that human trafficking offences were mostly perpetrated at grassroots levels..
“The perpetrators usually capitalise on the ignorance of their victims .
“Nigerian women and children are recruited from rural areas within the country’s borders for involuntary domestic servitude and sexual exploitation.
“The boys are forced into street vending, domestic servitude and street begging among others,” he said.
Osibelowo said that once the CDCs , which are closer to people at grassroots, come on board, the partnership would help to free ignorant Nigerians from traffickers.
“The statistics released by Cleen Foundation on Jan. 10, 2021 shows that about 85 per cent of sex workers in Europe are Nigerians.
“Human trafficking crime is clandestine and very complex because the perpetrators evolve unique antiques every time, to attract their victims.
“It is a modern day slavery with lasting effects on victims and society on the long run.”
Osibelowo said that CDCs would enable NAPTIP cover larger ground in its anti- human trafficking war.
