The Benin Traditional Institution is
to work with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons
(NAPTIP) to stem the tide of human trafficking in Edo State and Nigeria in
General.
This was the outcome of the advocacy
visit of the Director-General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli to His Majesty,
Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II Ogidigan, Oba of Benin Kingdom,
in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
The Director-General had led a team
of NAPTIP officials to the Royal father to enlist the support of the
traditional institution in Edo State and in particular the Benin Kingdom in the
fight against human trafficking bearing in mind the endemic nature of the State
in human trafficking and the image problem accompanying that status.
She urged the Oba of Benin to join
NAPTIP in its renewed efforts at stopping the juju priests in Benin from
further administering oaths on victims of human trafficking that are brought to
them by criminal elements.
She said, ‘’We are doing our best in
sensitising the juju priests against the practice and many have assured us that
they will no longer administer oaths on the victims, but as a respected Royal
Father in this land whose words are respected, I respectfully implore Your
Majesty to use your good offices to talk to these juju priests and the chiefs involved.
You may wish to summon all of them and talk to them, and we are ready to join
Your Majesty to sensitise them on the effects of their actions on the helpless
young people.
‘’Many of the young people that have
left may never come back as they are dead and their parents are still hoping that
they will come back some day with loads of money, while many have lost their
minds as a result of the exploitation they have gone through’’.
She also enjoined the Royal Father to bring
the issue of human trafficking to the front burner within the fold of the
traditional institutions across the country.
‘’Every victim of human trafficking
has come from a community before being a Nigerian and one of the
responsibilities of the traditional institution apart from upholding the
culture and tradition of the land is to protect and defend the people that they
lead’’, she further added.
In his response, the Oba of Benin who
commended NAPTIP on its activities over the years declared his commitment to
fight the menace, adding that he had done it in the past when he was the
Nigerian Ambassador to Italy. He said it was for that reason that he
established the Oba of Benin Foundation. The Foundation has Miss Ifueko Aideyan
as the FACE OF OBA OF BENIN FOUNDATION.
‘’NAPTIP has been doing a very
wonderful work in fighting human trafficking and everyone sees it. I know it is
a difficult and challenging work but we are behind you’’, he said.
He however, directed officials of the
Foundation and members of his cabinet to work with NAPTIP as partners to fight
the scourge in Benin. He also warned perpetrators of the heinous act to stay
away from Benin as the trade has brought more sorrow than joy to the people.
While condemning the enslavement of
Nigerians in Libya, he disclosed how shocked he was when he heard that many of
the victims were able bodied men and women who packed up their businesses, sold
all they had to embark on they journey and later became slaves.
‘’If anyone wants to travel, he
should travel legally’’, he said
He also frowned at the activities of
the native doctors and the juju priests in the trafficking chain but assure
that the Palace will call them to order.
‘’We have noted the activities of the
native doctors or the juju priests as you call them. We will do our best to
discourage them from getting involved in this crime. We will appeal to them. We
will talk directly to them to stop what they are doing. We will call them to
order and I believe they will listen to us’’, he further added.
While calling for a tripartite
arrangement amongst the Federal, States and traditional institutions in the
fight against trafficking, he stated that the leadership of Churches should
also be called to order as some of their activities encourage human
trafficking.
Josiah
Emerole
Head, Press and Public Relations (NAPTIP)
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