Recently, I read in one of the national dailies about a couple who was involved in child Trafficking, the couple were caught while trying to move these children to a neighbouring country. Well, the excuse they gave was that they were taking the children on a tour. According to the paper, the police said investigations were on-going and they would be charged to court if found guilty.The National Agency for the prohibition of Traffic in persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) said in Abuja recently that it rescued 809 victims from traffickers between October 2008 and March, 2009. Alhaji Babadede Muhammed, Director, Investigation and Monitoring told newsmen that the period witnessed a jump in the incidence of trafficking. Those rescued were 278 male victims and 531 females indicating that women and girls are at higher risk than men. Distribution by age also showed that children and youths are being trafficked more than adults. Three hundred and seventy-two of those rescued were 17 years of age. While 347 were between the ages of 18 years and 27 years. The remaining 90 victims that were rescued were above 28 years of age.The director noted that 748 victims were rescued within Nigeria, 28 victims in Togo, 30 victims in Benin Republic while three of the victims were from Cameroon. He said with the support of The Nigeria Immigration Service, NAPTIP smashed a major trafficking ring operating between Nigeria and Niger Republic and arrested 16 persons including a driver and some agents.But what is being done to reduce the incidence of human trafficking? Over the years, government, Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, and even international organizations have been up and about waging an all out war against the trade. Eki Igbinedion formed the Idia Renaissance, Titi Abubakar came up with the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, WOTCLEF. she sponsored a private bill which culminated in the Trafficking in persons (prohibition) law Enforcement and Administration Act 2003 to address this menace that had turned Nigeria into an object of ridicule in the comity of nations. This law gave birth to the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Person, NAPTIP.Now, what borders me and I am sure also borders the public is why all these reported cases are not tried and brought to a logical conclusion. You hear or read in the news that a traffic syndicate had been napped and investigations are on-going. That is the end of the story. Nothing is ever said of the case again. This I think is what is giving the perpetrators the impetus to continue in their nefarious acts.One would also wonder why somebody would decide to make humans their source of livelyhood. Sacred Human being unlike animals you can buy in the market has become a lucrative business for evil people. Using your own children for trafficking is enough offence, not to talk of other people’s children. Some consent to being used because of the poverty level and some others, out of sheer ignorance or deceit.Stories abound of children (under age) being used for all sorts of trade-like hawking, house help etc. recently, I met this fine young girl in the house of a friend I went to see. I asked who she was and I was told she was the new help. I was taken aback because she was just too young, (12 years according to her) to be out of her parent’s glare not to talk of working and bringing home money.Funny enough, she does not even understand English. The couple who took her uses gesture trying to communicate while they try to teach her to understand basic English. She is from the middle-belt of the country. The inquisitive nature in me came out and I started asking the couple how they got such a young child who is just a little older than their first child to be working for them. They told me it was through an agent.So, you see that even with the awareness that NAPTIP is creating, the quest for young children as helps and all sorts will not end because the society itself is not ready to face the challenges. A couple who probably work in the bank gets a help or helps as the case maybe because they need somebody to help take care of their domestic front while in the office. these set of people do not care who the person is or whether under-age because it is not their child and the common excuse is that they are paying. It is so very sad that even the children being trafficked do not even get to see the money they are labouring for. The agents collect the money at the end of each month or quarterly, depending on the agreement with the “client”. Most times, the agent take their own and take the others to their parents for those who knows what their children are doing. But for some others, the story is different. What about those taken into prostitution. I could go on and on and it makes me begin to sound like a broken record.I think for us to be able to completely and judiciously fight this trafficking issue, all stakeholders must live up to their responsibility. Parents should have the children they can conveniently take care of. The society at large should also be their “brothers keeper”, the government should intensify efforts and get quick justice for citizens.Source:Gladys Omoragbon
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