The Delta State Government has warned residents, particularly young people seeking opportunities abroad, against falling victim to human traffickers who use fake job offers and promises of better living conditions to lure unsuspecting Nigerians.
The government said traffickers were increasingly using social media, fraudulent recruitment advertisements and other digital platforms to exploit the growing desire among Nigerians to relocate abroad, popularly known as the Japa Syndrome.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, gave the warning during a sensitisation programme organised by the state Ministry of Justice in collaboration with relevant agencies in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area.
Ohwovoriole, who chairs the Delta State Task Force Against Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, said the government had strengthened its legal response to the crime, with more than 15 trafficking cases currently being prosecuted before the state High Court.
He said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had signed the Delta State Human Trafficking (Prohibition) Law, 2024, to strengthen the fight against traffickers.
He added that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons was also handling related cases before the Federal High Courts in the state.
The Attorney-General said law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and legislative institutions were working together to dismantle trafficking networks, prosecute offenders and secure justice for victims.
He, however, said the fight could not be left to government agencies alone, urging residents to report suspicious recruitment activities and help protect vulnerable people in their communities.
Ohwovoriole said the state was also working with relevant partners to rescue victims and facilitate their safe return home.
The NAPTIP Zonal Commander, Barrister Sam Offiah, represented by Stephen Selowo, described human trafficking as a growing global crime that required coordinated action.
He warned that educated young people were also falling victim to trafficking syndicates operating under the cover of overseas employment opportunities.
Selowo said, “Human trafficking is not only a moral crime but a growing global business that feeds on desperation.
“The slang ‘Japa’ may sound harmless, but when aspiration turns into desperation, people become vulnerable, and that vulnerability is what traffickers exploit.”
He commended the Delta State Government for its sustained public enlightenment campaigns and urged other states to adopt similar approaches.
In her lecture, the Secretary of the Delta State Task Force on Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Mrs Ijeoma Nwanze, described human trafficking as modern-day slavery that required collective efforts to eradicate.
Nwanze said the increasing desire among Nigerians to seek better opportunities abroad had exposed many to deceptive networks offering non-existent jobs and promising improved living conditions.
She explained that human trafficking could involve movement, exploitation, deception, coercion and the exchange of money or other benefits to gain control over victims.
She urged participants to take the message to their communities and educate residents on the dangers of unsafe migration.
Nwanze said, “Together, we can build a Delta where no dream is trafficked, and no ambition is enslaved.”
