Saraki Decries High Rate Of Human Trafficking In Nigeria

Senate President Bukola Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki, has berated the high rate of human trafficking in the country, saying Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest number of trafficking.

Saraki, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, said this while speaking at a Round-table on Migration and Human Trafficking in Benin City, on Monday.

Those present at the meeting include: Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, the Minister of Interior, Abdulraman Dambazau, representatives from the European Union and the United Kingdom, International Organisation on Migration, the National Agency for the Prohibition on Trafficking in Persons and Civil Society Organisations.

Saraki bemoaned the illegal migration and human trafficking which have been on the increase, adding that the Senate will ensure that the menace is combated.

“Nigeria currently ranks 23 on the Global Slavery Index of 167 countries with the highest number of slaves. Human trafficking is third in the ignoble hierarchy of the commonly occurring crimes in Nigeria, according to UNESCO.

“We are losing sleep over irregular migration and human trafficking; and we are determined, as representatives of the people, to do something about it.

“We have seen the bleak images of coffins of 26 Nigerian girls who were laid to rest in Italy last November. This is what brings us today to ancient Benin. The trafficking of young males has overtaken females in this state for the first time, and now stands at 63 per cent. Clearly, something is wrong in the way we manage citizens’ security, border security as well as international cooperation and collaboration”, Saraki said.

The Senate President lauded Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki for his efforts in tackling the issue.

Obaseki, in his response, assured that the state will not relent to fund programmes aimed at protection, prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked victims.