Former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe says human trafficking has reduced in the state due to the proactive measures governor Godwin Obaseki took to combat the scourge.
She asserted that between Setpember 2020 till now that the agency has brought 5,552 human trafficking victims to the state and over 2,000 victims have been provided shelters for.
She added that, though til now the task force had filed 107 cases in courts, until now judgement has not been delivered.
Prof. Omorogbe made the statements during an event organised by Pathfinder Justice Initiative, on human trafficking training for Law Enforcement Officers, Prosecutors and Judges, an NGO saddle with the responsibility to reduce the incessant rate of human trafficking in Nigeria, especially, Edo State, said the Edo state government has done much to put an end to the menace.
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Speaking on Edo State Task Force against Human Trafficking: Successes, Challenges and Opportunities, Omorogbe said the aim of the task force is to eradicate human trafficking in the state.
She alleged that, apart from fake pastors, some traditional rulers that some fake orphanage homes in the state also aid the human traffickers to transport victims to abroad for sexual expliotation and slavery.
Prof. Omorogbe who is the former chairman of the task force said their business is to relocate, rehabilitate and to embark on advocacy visit or sensitisation on the dangers of human trafficking in the 18 local government areas of the state.
She explained that they also provide shelters, skills, training campus and capacity building for human trafficking victims, just as she thanked NAPTIP, Oba of Benin, traditional rulers and other groups for their partnership with the task force for achieving their aims.
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Commenting on the National Action Plan, to reduce human trafficking, the NAPTIP, Benin Zonal Command, Stephen Selowo, said the agency is saddle in creating shelters, counseling, skills, healthcare services, family tracing and reintegrating human Trafficking victims back to the society.
Selowo said NAPTIP create capacity building, Town Hall meeting, workshop and enlightenment in various state and communities in Nigeria to inform people about the hazard of human trafficking, slavery and sexual violence.
In her remarks, the Executive Director, Pathfinder Justice lnitiative, Barrister Evon Benson Idahosa, said the essence of the event is to train the Law Enforcement Officers, Prosecutors and Judges on the best ways on how to handle human trafficking cases.
The event with the theme, “Insight-building capacity to deal with human trafficking and transit routes in Nigeria, Italy, Sweden.”
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Barrister Evon Benson Idahosa thanked everybody that attended the occasion.