The Edo Government on Wednesday began campaign against human trafficking and illegal migration in secondary schools across the state.
Mr Solomon Okoduwa, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Gov. Godwin Obaseki, initiated the campaign at Edo National College, Iguobazuwa.
The Governor’s aide, who expressed worry over the situation appealed to the students to adhere to what they are being told in the campaign against human trafficking and irregular migration.
Okoduwa said that the government would not fold its arms to allow the illegal activities to thrive in the state.
He added that the government would focuse especially on the rural areas where human traffickers harvest teenagers.
According to him, Gov. Obaseki led administration is interested in ‘your future and he wants you to fulfil your dreams. Therefore don’t listen to those telling you about travelling abroad.
“They could use your parents or even your pastors to convince you to embark on this perilous journey.
“The traffickers don’t care what you become in future but they want to use you to make money for themselves.
“Many of those trafficked died on their way or those who were able to get to Libya or anywhere in Europe are being enslaved, sexually exploited by their sponsors,” he advised.
He also urged the students to report anyone who encourage them to embark on such journey through the Mediterranean Sea and Sahara Desert to Libya.
Okoduwa, who noted that many of the traffickers are already standing trials, vowed that the cases would be followed to logical conclusions.
