Razaq Bamidele
President of the Journalists International Forum for Regular Migration (JIFORM), Mr Abayomi Ajibola, has enlightened students of tertiary institutions, especially, the female, about the evil of Human Trafficking and its consequences on wellbeing and future of the victims.
Abayomi, the boss of the Forum that comprises over 300 journalists covering migration across the continents with headquarters in Lagos Nigeria since 2018, gave the enlightenment lecture in a paper entitled; Sex Trafficking and Irregular Migration, presented to the students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria on October 30, this year. The event was facilitated by Adeboye Joy Oluwatoyin
While presenting the paper online with the students, Abayomi introduced his Forum as being “the leading advocacy against human trafficking, slavery, sex trafficking, irregular migration and promoting positive migration that will bring about the huge advantage of diaspora benefits to Nigeria and other parts of the world by championing the course of regular migration.”
READ ALSO: Human trafficking: 95% of victims are females – Ogun commissioner
The JIFORM President, who said that the topic of discourse was very key to the grooming of responsible female generation in the society, stated that, as the leaders of tomorrow and of course mothers of the nation in the making, there was the need for them all to be aware of the implications of Sex Trafficking and Irregular Migration from Nigeria.
According to him, Sex Trafficking is a subset of human trafficking which by implication leads to exploitation and slavery, explaining that, “Human trafficking is the second-largest crime network rated at $150 billion net worth being scrabbled for by the cabals that are involved globally.”
While warning that, the act is criminal and must be kicked against, Abayomi, quoting the United Nations, defined or classified it as “the action or practise of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another for the purpose of sexual exploitation,” adding that, “irregular migration is the movement of persons that takes place outside the laws, regulations, or international agreements governing the entry into or exit from the State of origin, transit or destination.”
He asserted that “irregular migration is particularly dangerous for women and girls,” because many of them “experience physical abuse, torture, rape, enslavement and other forms of psychological abuse,” disclosing that, perpetrators of the illegal activities include criminal gangs, smugglers, traffickers, border guards, police and fellow migrants.”
Travelling through the unapproved routes such as desert, Mediterranean Sea others, Abayomi warned, is not the right way to go, cautioning the ladies not to allow themselves to be deceived that the borders of European nations like Italy and others are just a stone throw from African nations like Libya, Morocco or Tunisia.
“You have a right decision to make by shunning trafficking offers aimed at ruining lives and making you objects of ridicule as Sex Tourists,” the concerned JIFORM boss warned, as he enumerated the causes of trafficking as: Poverty, natural disasters and a search for a better life, disclosing that, “Women and children are targets.”
Other causes, according to him are Demand for cheap labour, lust for huge profit, war, unfavourable political conditions, Social and Cultural practices.
Abayomi, in his paper, then dwelt into how sex trafficking adversely affect the students, when he said, “Those behind human trafficking always see youths at the higher institutions or other catchment areas as their targets,” saying it is so because most of them are still within their flowerage and will attract good returns for illicit traders dealing in human trafficking!
“I, therefore, plead with you to be careful and don’t allow yourselves and future to be destroyed by the lustful things you may desire but are not important to your growth and such appetite for free money, greed, and the desire to have wealth you are not matured for now. You have many years ahead of you, so, be patient and grow to maturity to earn and get what you deserve.
“Here I am referring to things you can be easily lured with to abandon your studies with fake assurance that there is gold beyond the shore of Nigeria if only you can agree to terms of rosy jobs that are never available but rather you will end up regretting if you fall cheaply for the deceit,” Abayomi warned.
On the effect of sex and human trafficking, the Forum President mentioned psychological trauma, beating, rape, molestation, diseases like Sexually Transmitted Disease and sexual abuse, adding slavery deprivation of freedom, exploitation and unfulfilled dream as parts of the evil effects of human trafficking.
Proffering solutions to the menace, Abayomi said, awareness, empowerment/job opportunities for youths, parental and academic counselling, mentoring and rehabilitation of victims, through health aids, financial support among others.
Concluding, the JIFORM leader said some ways to reject trafficking offers and join the fight against sex or human trafficking include but are not limited to reporting any cases of suspicious moves to lure people into trafficking, to the security agencies and The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP), for assistance, adding that, “you can also reach out to JIFORM too to fast-track emergency response if you need help.”
