ENUGU – Enugu State Government on Friday, called for global collaboration against the persistent scourge of human trafficking and modern-day slavery in Nigeria.
Mrs Ngozi Enih, State Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, made the call during a solidarity rally in Enugu to mark the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
She described the phenomenon as one of the most inhumane crimes confronting the world today.
Reports that the World Day Against Trafficking is celebrated every July 30, to create awareness on the scourge.
The 2025 commemoration has as its theme: “Human Trafficking is Organised Crime – End the Exploitation.”
Enih said that the time had come for concerted and transnational efforts to dismantle the networks of exploitation that thrive on human misery.
“Today, on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we stand in solidarity with victims of human trafficking. This crime steals dignity, freedom, and futures of women and children in particular.
“As we raise our voices, let us commit to stronger protection, justice for survivors, and a society where no one is left behind,”she said.
According to the commissioner, human trafficking is modern-day slavery that strips victims of their basic rights and dehumanises them for profit.
She pointed out that the state government had zero-tolerance policy for all forms of slavery, abuse, and violence that compromises human dignity.
The commissioner reiterated government’s resolve to continue working closely with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and other partners to bring offenders to justice.
She called on religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, and local communities to intensify awareness and grassroots mobilisation against trafficking networks.
According to her, ending human trafficking requires more than institutional action and demands a unified front by all sectors of society to prevent the recruitment, transportation, and exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
This, she noted, was more common especially to the underage girls and impoverished families.
“Every religious community, palace and classroom must become a fortress against trafficking. This is a fight for our humanity,”she urged. (NAN)
