Group Launches Campaign To Tackle Human Trafficking In Nigeria

Posted by Ignatius Okpara African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, March 15th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A human rights and Non-governmental organization, African Law Foundation (AFRILAW), has raised concern over the alarming rate of irregular migration and human trafficking in Nigeria, especially among the youths, calling on relevant authorities to rise up in combatting the menace.

Founder and Chief Executive officer (CEO) of the organization, Barrister Chiwinke Okereke, who stated this said research has shown that young Nigerians make up the largest population of the growing flow of migrants from Africa to developed countries, noting that “in 2016, over 20,00 (twenty thousand) Involved in the Mediterranean Sea crossing were reported to be from Nigeria.

Speaking in Enugu during the official lunch of Mukosolu Chinwike – Okereke African Migration Advocacy project (MUKOCAMAP), a regional advocacy initiative of AFRILAW, established in honour of his late Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) officer wife, Mrs. Uzoamaka Okereke who died in 2020, the NGO boss, said the project is aimed at promoting dignity, safe and orderly migration in Nigeria and across Africa.

The aim and strategic objective of MUKOCAMAP Okereke further explained, is to advocate and promote dignified, safe and orderly migration for a better Africa as provided under (UN) global compact on migration and towards actualization of the related SDGs.

According to him, the project is going to drive a program tagged the Nigeria Blue Heart Campaign, that will engaged in advocacy and awareness raising in combatting the “irregular and human trafficking, especially among the youths in Nigeria, adding that it is initiated as part of the international Blue Heart campaign of the United Nations office on drug and crime UNODC in Nigeria.

He disclosed that under the program, “we will be advocating for effective implementation and compliance with the Protocols to prevent, surpass, and punish Trafficking in persons, especially women and children. Supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational organized crime in Nigeria, and the trafficking in persons (prohibition) enforcement and Administration Act 2015.

Barrister Okereke, recalled that the trafficking in persons protocol was adopted by the UN General Assembly in year 2000, stressing that it is the first and only international instrument with an agreed definition on trafficking in persons.

“And it supports a comprehensive approach at international, regional and national levels to prevent human trafficking, to punish the traffickers, and to protect and assist the victims with full respect for their human rights.

He also revealed that the Nigeria Blue Heart Campaign will equally focused on promoting the actualization of 7 related SDGs and the UN Global Compact on migration 23 key objectives and commitments through various activities and programmes

Okereke, who had during the solemn event paid glowing tribute to his late wife, who died on March, 10th, 2020, as a principal Inspector of Immigration (PII), in the Enugu state Command of the NIS, said MUKOSOLU, will be collaborating and partnering with some national and international bodies such as UNODC, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and internally displaced persons.

Others includes, the UN Refugee Agency, International Organization for migration (IOM), National Agency For the prohibition of Trafficking in persons and other Related Matters NAPTIP and NIS, amongst others in promoting and achieving its strategic objectives.

He added that the Nigeria Blue Heart Campaign strategies would include, youth education and public awareness outreach, stakeholders sensitization and engagement as well as legal aid services for victims of human trafficking.