Benin Monarch Pledge To Partners NAPTIP Against Human Trafficking
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 indeed, Nigeria.
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 bad image it has
attracted for the state.
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 suspected criminal elements.
‘’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 said.
In his response, the
Oba of Benin who commended NAPTIP on its exploits against human
trafficking 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.
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