REPORTER: CHRISTAIN NWANGENE
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in partnership with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the Enugu State Government, and civil society organisations, has warned Nigerians against the growing threat of cyber-enabled human trafficking through fake online job and migration offers.
The warning was issued during a road walk in Enugu to commemorate the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, observed under the United Nations theme, “Trapped Behind the Scam.”
The awareness campaign, spearheaded by the NAPTIP South-East Zonal Command alongside ICMPD, commenced at Roban Stores along Agbani Road and culminated at the Gariki Bus Terminal.
Participants marched through major commercial hubs displaying informative placards and distributing educational flyers while directly engaging traders, commuters, and young residents on emerging digital recruitment tactics.
Speaking during the rally, the ICMPD Project Officer, Mr. Christian Iloma, called on citizens to promptly report suspected cases of human trafficking to designated law enforcement channels.
“This is an avenue that allows us to sensitize people annually as we join our voices to end human trafficking in Nigeria,” Iloma stated. “Our goal goes beyond the road walk; we are driving behavioral change so that people recognize the dangers and report those in harm’s way to designated authorities, particularly NAPTIP.”
Addressing participants, the NAPTIP South-East Zonal Commander, Mr. Jonathan Awa Ukpai, clarified that while the agency does not discourage legitimate international travel, citizens must avoid irregular migration pathways.
“What we are saying is not that people should not travel, but they must do so legally through official routes,” Ukpai emphasized. “We are partnering with the media, civil society organizations, security agencies, and the Ministry of Justice to educate the public on the harsh realities illegal migrants face and to pursue perpetrators until the trade is eradicated.”
Reinforcing the legal and preventive frameworks, the Secretary of the Enugu State Task Force on Human Trafficking, Barrister Caroline Ngozi Avah, noted that the initiative aligned with NAPTIP’s strategic pillars, policy, prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership.
She particularly warned parents against releasing their children to unverified guardians during the school holiday period.
“I advise our people to be watchful because all that glitters is not gold,” Avah cautioned. “Especially during this holiday season, people will come under the guise of taking a child to live with a relative. It is often a trap. The law remains firm, and traffickers will face the full weight of prosecution once apprehended.”
In the same vein, Clementina Ogbu, representing the Enugu State Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, stressed the fundamental importance of family unity in curbing vulnerability.
“Children belong with their biological parents,” Ogbu stated. “Parents must exercise extreme caution and thoroughly verify any claims before allowing their children to be taken away under the guise of training or sponsorship in distant places.”
