By Bose Adelaja
The International Organization for Migration IOM, has cautioned Africans particularly Nigerians to uphold their dignity by not embarking on irregular migration but explore their God-given talents to develop the nation.

IOM Programme Manager, Migration Management Abrham Famrat, said this in Lagos, Tuesday, at an event to commemorate International Migrants Day, a yearly celebration of migrants and their families and their contributions to societies around the world.

African migrants from the Nigeria wait at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport prior to being repatriated to their homeland under a voluntary repatriation program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on March 23, 2017. / AFP PHOTO

The 2018 event titled “Migration with Dignity” is a call to protect the rights of migrants and their families.

He said increase in the number of irregular migrants is caused by absence of coherent/coordinated migration system as Millions of Nigerians have been maltreated in their quest to travel overseas.

He enumerated some of the factors of irregular migration as climate change, crises and quest for survival calling on people to stop endangering their lives. In his words, “the number of irregular migrants is increasing significantly and we all must try our best to reduce it. Absence of coherent/ coordinated migration system have led Millions of Nigerians to fall into wrong hands and this has made them an easy prey to make money due to their vulnerability. We must arise to stop the menace,”

In his opening remarks, Head, Migration, National commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (South West Zone) Mr Alex Oturu enumerated some challenges of irregular migration thus: Labour exploitation, lack of protection, human rights violation and loss of dignity calling on government at all levels to protect the rights of migrants. “You don’t have to travel out of the country to become what God wants you to be,”
https://newlive.vanguardngr.com/2018/10/irregular-migration-expert-proffers-solution-to-arrest-development/

While fielding questions from journalists, the Zonal Commander National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (Nigeria), NAPTIP. Atokolo Emmanuel said his organisation has recorded eight convictions in the last two months.

He urged people to migrate appropriately so as not to endanger their lives.

In her testimonies, a female migrant Azuly Ify Chylian from Edo State said she was lured into irregular migration by her cousin. “”I spent three months in Libya prisons before I was rescued and returned to Nigeria by IOM,”