Bayelsa NAPTIP Launches Campaign To Protect Children From Human Trafficking

By Rhoda Godwin in Yenagoa

Participants during the walk

The Bayelsa State Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), led by Commander Abieywna Ikhidero, held a road walk to raise awareness about human trafficking. The campaign’s theme, “Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking,” emphasises children’s vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation.
During the event, Hon. Alfred Kemepada, Commissioner for Youths, emphasised the importance of parental vigilance against false promises of overseas opportunities, warning that such schemes can lead to enslavement or death. He urged parents and children not to listen to “fantasy agents” promising greener pastures abroad, citing the fact that many people have died during migration.

Commander Ikhidero vowed that NAPTIP will stop at nothing to eradicate human trafficking in Bayelsa State, stating that the agency will not tolerate the crime.

She urged young people and victims to speak up and not die in silence, warning traffickers to stop their activities or face the consequences.

Other speakers, including Lady Eunice Nnachi, Executive Director of Women Organised for Mentorship and Advocacy Network (WOMAN), and Mrs. Grace Orumieyefia, President of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), emphasised the importance of mentorship and community involvement in protecting children from traffickers and raising awareness of the risks associated with migration for better opportunities.

They called for a collaborative effort to combat human trafficking and child labour, particularly organ harvesting aimed at girls.
The road walk, which began at Ekeki Park and ended at Peace Park opposite the Government House in Yenagoa, was attended by a number of stakeholders, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and representatives from the Ministries of Women Affairs, Culture, and Tourism, as well as 4S Juvenile Home.