TheCable

The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) says stiffer penalties should be given to persons involved in human trafficking in Nigeria.

Ola Erinfolami, south-west zonal coordinator of the commission, spoke on Wednesday after viewing a film sponsored by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Ogun state.

The movie focused on human trafficking within the context of irregular migration and forced displacement.

Erinfolami said stiffer punishment is the best way to address irregular migration and forced displacement.

She said Nigeria is making efforts in the area of sensitisation so that citizens can begin to consider the country as a place they can still succeed rather than engaging in illegal migration.

“The situation of trafficking in Nigeria needs a drastic solution, though not only in Nigeria but the African continent at large,” NAN quoted Erinfolami as saying.

“It is important for people to be aware of the evil effect of traveling irregularly.

“We always encourage parents to be mindful of what they say to the children; some of them downgrade their children, telling them your mates are abroad, your mates have made this and that.

“Some even hand over their children to traffickers to be taken abroad and on getting there, it is exploitation; some will even pass through sexual exploitation and child abuse.

“We will have a way of calling all the persons concerned together to sensitise them on how they can travel by going through the normal process and doing it right.”

At the moment the law prescribes a two-year jail term and a fine not less than N250,000 for human trafficking offenders.

Section 13 of the trafficking in persons (prohibition) enforcement and administration act, 2015, laws of the federation of Nigeria prohibits the act of trafficking in persons.