Edo State Marks World Day Against Human Trafficking with Rally

By Adesuwa Ehimuan

The Office of the First Lady of Edo State, in collaboration with the Edo State Migration Agency, organized a walk across major streets of Benin City to commemorate the World Day Against Human Trafficking with the 2025 Theme: Human Trafficking is Organised Crime: End the Exploitation.

The event aimed to raise awareness about the severity of human trafficking and the importance of collective action to prevent it.

The Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, emphasized that human trafficking is a serious crime with severe consequences, especially for children and women.

She commended Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration for its efforts in combating trafficking, attributing the reduction in human trafficking cases to the governor’s attention to the migration agency and investments in education.

The Director General, Edo State Migration Agency, Mr. Lucky Agazuma, stated that the agency is working tirelessly to address human trafficking, which has been reduced to the barest minimum in the state. He emphasized the importance of stakeholder involvement, including families, in preventing human trafficking.

Director General of the Edo State Diaspora Agency, Dr. Lauretta Oduwa highlighted the harsh realities of human trafficking, including sexual exploitation, rape, unintended pregnancies, and the risk of infectious diseases. She stressed the need for more partnership between stakeholders to address these issues.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Festus Alenkha emphasized the importance of addressing human trafficking, highlighting challenges in prosecution and the need for collaboration between authorities and journalists. He commended the Office of the First Lady for its efforts in combating human trafficking.

The event concluded with a call to action, urging stakeholders to work together to prevent human trafficking and protect vulnerable populations.