..trains subject teachers to tackle menace from schools

By Peter Duru  Makurdi

Benue State has been identified as recording the highest number of human trafficking cases and rescued victims in Nigeria, according to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

The Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, disclosed this during a two-day training workshop for subject teachers on the mainstreamed Trafficking in Persons (TIP) content in the revised national curriculum.

The workshop, held under the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), is implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in collaboration with NAPTIP and funded by the Government of the Netherlands.

Represented by NAPTIP’s Director of Intelligence (Research and Programme Development), Mr. Josiah Emerole, the Director General said the training aimed to deepen public awareness on human trafficking across the country.

“Part of our job as NAPTIP is to prevent human trafficking from happening and it is very impossible and also not cost effective for us to go from one house to the other to create this awareness and that is the reason why a few years ago we taught it well to find a way of ensuring that issues of trafficking are embedded in the school’s policies, curriculum, and procedures.”

She noted the success being recorded by the agency and its partners and urged all hands to be on deck to tackle the menace in Benue State saying “Benue State is very critical for us in this fight against human trafficking, because over the years, some other states had always topped in the data for trafficking.

“Unfortunately, in the last few years, Benue State is at the apex as far as our data is concerned. Benue State is topping all the states in the last few years, on the number of victims of trafficking that have been rescued. And I want you to know that you are being here is to support the state in changing that narrative.”

Project Manager of ICMPD STEAP, Mrs. Rhoda Dia-Johnson, represented by Project Officer Favour Simeon, said teacher capacity-building was a key element of the project across the five participating states, including Benue.

She said:“One of our key deliverables is to ensure that teachers get this training. The goal is to help teachers understand the curriculum better and effectively deliver TIP content.”

The Projecy Manager warned that traffickers were increasingly targeting schools, making teachers vital allies in the fight. “Teachers play a key role working side by side with NAPTIP, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Education,” she said.

The Benue State Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr. Margaret Adamu, represented by the Director of Science and Technology, Dooshima Awai, described the training as vital for teachers handling subjects where trafficking topics appear in the curriculum.

“These teachers handle subjects like National Values, Civic Education and Government. The aim is to strengthen their knowledge on modern trends in human trafficking and violence against persons,” she noted.

Dr. Adamu revealed that over 1,000 people had been trained under the project, commending ICMPD and NAPTIP for their commitment. “Your sustained support in the fight against human trafficking in Benue State is highly appreciated,” she said.

She also linked the high rate of trafficking in the state to insecurity. “Benue State is vulnerable due to the security challenges we face. Many people have become victims, making the state a fertile ground for trafficking. But together, we shall say no.”

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Prof. Yanigan Ornguga, praised the partners for integrating trafficking issues into school curricula.

He warned that “Human trafficking remains one of the greatest threats to our state. It undermines our values, destroys lives and robs young people of their future.”

According to him, the government is committed to raising awareness, building capacity and embedding preventive knowledge in education. “This training empowers school administrators, educators and stakeholders with tools to identify and prevent trafficking,” he said.

The Zonal Commander of NAPTIP Makurdi, Mrs. Gloria Bai, gave an overview of the meeting and reiterated that exploitation remains the core purpose of trafficking. “Whether it is sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, labour exploitation, begging, organ harvesting or baby sale, the main purpose is exploitation,” she said.

Participants were trained on key topics exposing the dangers of human trafficking, preventive strategies and community-based response.

Some participants, including the Disciplinary Chairman of Royal Secondary School, Buruku, Enoch Ayem, and Franca Ijuo of Community Secondary School, Makurdi, commended NAPTIP and ICMPD for championing the fight.

They pledged to cascade the knowledge gained, not only to students but also to members of their communities, to help curb the menace across the state.