Wife of Abia State governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, has described trafficking in persons as a grievous crime against humanity “which completely violates human rights law”.
Mrs Otti said this on Friday during a 1.5-km walk organised by the state government as part of activities lined up to commemorate the 2023 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, with the theme “Reach every victim of Trafficking, Leave no one behind”, in Umuahia.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, is an annual event that holds on July 30 to raise awareness and strengthen the campaign on the need to stop trafficking in persons.
The governor’s wife, who was represented by Mrs Chinyere Onyeukwu, said that trafficking in persons poses a serious threat to safety, security, live and rule of law in the society.
“We will deploy every resource at our disposal to intensify the fight against trafficking in persons in Abia.
“We have embarked on a serious campaign to show that trafficking in persons will not be tolerated in Abia,” Otti said.
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The state’s Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Mr Blessing Felix, said that trafficking in persons could be best described as an affront to humanity.
Felix said that “it is our collective responsibility to raise our voices and take action against this great injustice”.
The Abia Director of National Orientation Agency, Mrs Regina Iroha, said that public education was a good starting point in the move to stop all forms of trafficking in persons.
Iroha called on the relevant agencies to take the campaign to the local communities, adding that most victims of trafficking were people living in the rural areas.
In a remark, Mrs Ifeoma Thomas, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Vulnerable Groups and Poverty Reduction, said that the fight against trafficking in persons must be won at all cost.
Thomas said that collaborative effort between the government and members of the society would greatly increase the successes recorded in the fight against trafficking in persons.
She urged the people of Abia not to hesitate to report any case of trafficking in persons around their neighborhood, adding that appropriate actions would be taken.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communication, Mr Dodo Okafor, said that trafficking in persons remains a serious social ill and that all hands must be on deck to eradicate the ill to save the vulnerable from falling victim.
