Taraba State Commissioner for Social Justice and Reintegration, Dr. Filister Irarimam Musa, has disclosed that the state has become a hub for human trafficking in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 2024 World Day for Human Trafficking event in Jalingo, Dr. Musa emphasized the need to combat this menace, stating, “As a government, we recognize that trafficking in persons is a gross violation of human rights that dehumanizes its victims and destroys their future and that of our society.”
Dr. Musa highlighted the alarming rate of exploitation of youths in the state, saying, “Our youths are being exploited daily for labor, sexual purposes, and even organ harvesting at an alarming rate.” She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fighting human trafficking through law enforcement, awareness creation, and victim-centered interventions.
Taraba State NAPTIP Commander Kennedy Zebere emphasized the need for community vigilance and action, stating, “Reports indicating that hundreds of our youths are being trafficked highlight an urgent need for community vigilance and action.” He called for a comprehensive strategy to combat human rights violations.
Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Hajiya Alisha Barde, urged parents to protect their children, saying, “Mothers should know that the integrity of our daughters is to be taken care of. We should say NO to Child Trafficking.”
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Com. Mathew Elude Jen, pledged the union’s continued collaboration with NGOs to combat human trafficking, emphasizing, “I call on parents not to allow anyone to deceive them under the pretense that they are taking their children to the best schools in any part of the country or even abroad.”
The event featured goodwill messages from various ministries and agencies, with a collective call to action to eradicate human trafficking in Taraba State.