The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Anambra State, Professor Sylvia Ifemeje, has appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to stand against the menace of human trafficking.
She described the crime that is fast becoming institutionalized in the country, as a sad reminder of the plights of Africans during the slave trade.
Professor Ifemeje shed light on the theme of 2025 World Day against Human Trafficking, – “Human trafficking is organized, end exploitation.”
“Human trafficking is an organized crime and it is exploitative in nature. It is an organized crime it cuts across borders.
“Criminals in Nigeria have their networks across countries like Italy. They trafficked young girls with a promise to give them good jobs.
“Once they get there, they introduce them to commercial prostitution. Apart from that, some countries will use them for organ harvesting.
“It is exploitative because they victims do not have any right to bargain anything whatsoever. They deny them access to telephone for communication.
According to Ifemeje, who chairs the State Task Force on human trafficking, the social menace deserves attention of everyone.
“This calls for more collaborative efforts in order to tackle this social menace that has become institutionalized in our country.
Anambra Govt’s efforts
“In Anambra, government efforts towards eradicating this heinous crime include massive sensitization of the masses on the evil of human trafficking.
“Government is also diligently prosecuting culprits that have been arrested to serve as deterrent to others.
“Furthermore, building of shelter for the rescued. They need to be rehabilitated back to the system.”
On the occasion of the 2025 world day against human trafficking, the Commissioner for Justice urged collaboration of state and non-state actors.
“Let’s join hands together and be more committed towards eradicating this social menace that has eaten deeply into the fabrics of our society.
“We need massive sensitization especially at the grassroots for people in the villages to understand that traffickers are not helpers but destroyers of destiny.
“They go to villages with all manner of tactics and unsuspecting villagers fall for their antics.
“So, we need to be more sensitive, and informed. Information is key to the fight against this organized crime of human trafficking.
