From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Imo State Command, has warned students against unplanned journey abroad.
The Imo State Commander of NAPTIP, Toochukwu Ezejiegu, speaking during the commemoration of the 2025 world trafficking against persons at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, in collaboration with the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), regretted that students are targets of the organ traffickers.
According to Ezejiegu, several students had been lured abroad with a promise of greener pasture but ended up being victims of organ harvesters.
He said: “We decided to take the message of human trafficking to the students because they are most vulnerable and targets for human trafficking.
“The male and female youths are usually targets and they’re easily lured into illegal migration and trafficking. With the sensitisation programme, they will be better informed on the pointers of human trafficking and remain vigilant to the traps of those who engage in trafficking in persons.”
The Commander, who is also the Chief Intelligence Officer, spoke on the dangers of human trafficking and called on the students to allow all they have learned at the workshop to guide them against travelling illegally.
“We know that the awareness created will go a long way to restrain the youths from embarking on dangerous and unplanned journeys in the quest to seek greener pastures.”
The NAPTIP ambassador and the founder of Re-educating Africans on the Risks and Dangers of Unplanned Journey Abroad ( RARDUJA), Eddy Duru and the Imo State Coordinator of NACTAL, Andy Duru, called on students to avoid unplanned journey abroad and irregular travelling outside the country.
“The youths are prone-victims and soft targets. They must remain alert to those who lure them into travelling unprepared. We take the campaign to the remotest part of the country, the churches, schools for wider awareness.
“The organ harvesters are targeting Nigerians with bogus promises of providing greener pastures abroad. The youths need to be careful. In 2023, records showed that there were between 7000 and 9000 legal kidney transplants. Do you think these are willing donors and who are those donating these kidneys? This is food for thought.”
The Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Basilia Igbokwe, in her speech, charged the students to put into use the things they have learned and ensure that they stay away from unplanned journey abroad as according to her, “the dangers are irretrievable and destroys the future of the youths.”
The Programme Officer of the Global Health Awareness Research Foundation (GHARF), Cornel Ekeh called for a more robust partnership and collaboration among all the stakeholders to increase their efforts and activities aimed at curbing illegal immigration, human trafficking, child abuse and domestic violence.
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