Young professionals advocate measures to combat illegal migration

The Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) says it will lead a global intervention to stem the ugly tide of illegal migration and trafficking of persons in Nigeria.

The forum said the illegal activity has become the worse form of abuse of human dignity and slavery in recent times with huge negative implications on the economy.

Noting that youths constitute a high percentage of victims of illegal migration and human trafficking, the NYPF expressed sadness that human trafficking and illegal migration are responsible for the reduction in the productive capacity of Nigerian youths, as an economic block, thereby resulting in the inability of the youth population to contribute adequately to national development.

The group said that the vicious scourge has seen over 10 million youths, women and children forced into slavery and subjected to the worse form of abuse in a manner that calls to question the true essence of common humanity.

In a statement on Friday, Moses Siasia, chairman of NYPF, said as part of its interventionist drive, the NYPF will soon launch a special programme for youths who are unfortunate victims of human trafficking and forced migration, and for trafficked victims or voluntary returnees from different countries, especially those who intend to start small businesses or those wanting to go into paid employment.

Siasia said the NYPF, through its partner agencies, will provide sustainable skill-based training and start-up incentives to help re-integrate victims of human trafficking into the larger society.

The purpose of this intervention, according to Siasia, is to create tangible economic solutions to issues of forced migration and human trafficking and to encourage those who are victims to seek help through these sustainable skills and entrepreneurship programmes.

To herald its anti-trafficking initiative, the NYPF will on June 10, 2019, in Abuja host a conference with the theme “Strengthening A Multi-Stakeholder Partnership and Creating Cooperation in Curbing Illegal Migration and Human Trafficking”.

He said it will be a gathering of experts, non-state-actors, decision makers, policy drivers, law enforcement agents and development partners to share experience, competence and solutions across jurisdictions in curbing modern day slavery.

Siasia said the conference will have Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo as special guest of honour, while Julie Okah-Donli, director-general, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NARTIP) and Abike Dabiri, Chairman of National Diaspora Commission as guest of honours.

The conference will be chaired by Idahosa Okunbo, renowned business mogul and chairman of Ocean Marine Solutions; with keynote speakers as Olusegun Adeniyi, chairman Editorial Board of ThisDay Newspapers; Chidi Odinkalu, former chairman of National Human Rights Commission; Joy Ezeilo, dean of the faculty of law, UNN; Tayo Afolabi, chairman of SIFAX Group, Jack-Rich Tein, president/founder of Belemaoil Producing Ltd and many more, with the representatives of foreign missions in Nigeria.