Labour Party, LP, presidential candidates in the February 25, 2023, poll, Mr. Peter Obi, has called on government to take more decisive actions against trafficking in persons, by investing in human development through investments in education, health and fighting poverty.
Obi on his X social media handle on Tuesday, said: “Today, we join the global community in commemorating the World Day against Trafficking in Persons.
“The day seeks to end human trafficking and violence against children and strives to eliminate all forms of violence against and exploitation of women and girls.
“Trafficking in persons remains a global societal issue that must be addressed, with measures devised to combat the menace.
“The 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report by the U.S. Department of State, classified Nigeria as a Tier 2 country, ranking us among countries whose governments “do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to comply with those standards.”
“The 2023 Global Slavery Index Report ranks Nigeria 38 out of 160 of the countries with the highest number of slaves which is about 1.6 million.
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“The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, 2019-2022 statistics also show that 61 per cent of human trafficking in Nigeria happens internally, while 39 percent is generated from cross-border trafficking.
“Insecurity in different parts of the nation, high levels of poverty, high rates of unemployment, and porous borders, have been identified as some of the major drivers of human trafficking in Nigeria.
“The government must, therefore, take more decisive actions against this societal issue by investing in human development through investments in education, health and fighting poverty.
“This will give the people a better quality of life, enable them to understand their rights as humans and give them access to better opportunities in life.
“Our commitment to building a nation, where citizens will be free to live and succeed without any form of enslavement remains unwavering. A new Nigeria is indeed possible,” he added.
