BY CHARLES KUMOLU

THAT Edo State has contributed much to the number of Nigerians migrating to Europe, is certainly not news any day.

The same applies to its unenviable status as the state with the highest number of women, who are believed to engage in questionable practices on the streets of Europe.

Obaseki

In fact, no one would bat an eyelid to hear that most Nigerians, who are daily ferried across the Mediterranean for prostitution, drug trafficking, and violent crimes are assumed to hail from the state.

Indeed, it has been an open secret with global and national statistical reports attesting to that.

For instance, the United Nations, UN, Office on Drugs and Crime, UNDOC, had in a report, observed that nine out of 10 Nigerian women smuggled to Europe often come from Edo.

Similarly, a report by the state government said that out of the 37,000 illegal immigrants arrested in Europe, about 15,000 were from Edo and Delta states.

However, the newest angles to it are the efforts of the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki at changing the narrative for the better.

Ever since the matter escalated with the selling of migrants into slavery in Libya, the governor has responded with plausible measures.

Accordingly, the following actions have been initiated by the governor in that regard: approval of N150m and 100 hectares of land for Libyan returnees, skills acquisition training on agriculture, a seminar with the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and state-wide sensitisation workshop on human trafficking and illegal migration among others.

The approval of the land and donation were widely seen as a display of leadership when it mattered most.

The largesse which was provided for those, who had undergone skills acquisition training in Benin, was considered a good vehicle for the reintegration and rehabilitation of Libyan returnees.

To ensure that the programme achieves its objectives, plans have been concluded for it to be anchored by the Benin Owena River Basin Authority and the state Agricultural Development Project.

To seek collaboration with the Italian government in the fight against human trafficking, the state government convened a seminar last may with Boldrini in attendance.

Obaseki at the event where the Italian government expressed worries over the number of deaths recently recorded during attempts by indigenes of the state to travel to Italy illegally through the sea, highlighted the programmes of his administration on the matter.

He said: “My Government takes the issue of human trafficking very serious. For us it is a major crime, it is the modern day slavery. This is threatening the survival of our people when the people who benefit from this trade are not from Edo State but they have a well-developed worldwide system to exploit innocent people.

We got a data recently that about 37,000 illegal immigrants were arrested in Europe and about 15,000 of them are from Edo and Delta states. Those are even the people who survived the journey because people go through the sea, some go through the Sahara and so many must have died in the process. So I think it is an issue we can no longer trivialize.

‘’This is an issue that has to do with the survival of our people, it is an issue we must deal with urgently. So I am not afraid politically to talk about it, it is not a political issue anymore, everybody is affected. The greatest challenge is to deal with the god fathers of trafficking and this is where we need the help of the international community and security agents to help us.

These are business people, they have bank accounts in Europe, they have agents who come here to recruit people, we should be able to establish who these people are and prosecute them.

“We, in Edo state we are prepared to give our best to fight this wicked act. We are going to domesticate the law so that we will make it effective that human trafficking is as bad as kidnapping if not worst. And for those who survived it, we will give them the opportunity to be rehabilitated. We are going to strengthen our institutions to work with the Federal government on this issue.

“At the political level, we will do what we need to do and make the relevant appointment. We will train these victims, rehabilitate them and integrate them into the society. And the Edo state government is ready to pay the money which these so-called traffickers have demanded from their victims so we can free them.

“Trafficking is a threat that I think we all must deal with, it is not something we should be ashamed of anymore. Those victims will be the first priority in our job creation initiative. Religious institutions and traditional institutions must now rise up to be part of this.

When religious institutions were praying for people to get visas to Europe, we thought it was a right thing to do, now look at the problem it has created. The Church, the Mosque, royal fathers, now need to make this a priority because they know what we are talking about and we must fight it together.”

Another step taken towards arresting the situation was the decision to enact laws against human trafficking.

The proposed legislation which is seen as capable of making a difference was announced at the flag-off of a state-wide sensitisation workshop on human trafficking and illegal migration.

At the forum, the state Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, said the government was working on a law to ensure that those, who promote the trend are sentenced to jail without the option of fine.

Omorogbe, who is also the Chairperson of Edo State Taskforce on Human Trafficking said: “All hands must be on deck to support this drive in curtailing the menace, which has damaged the reputation of the state.”

Corroborating this assertion, Secretary to the Taskforce, Mrs. Abieyuwa Oyemwense said the government was also paying returnees monthly stipends within a period of three months.