The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) has launched a nationwide awareness campaign aimed at protecting secondary school students from human trafficking and educating them on how to identify and avoid traffickers’ tactics.
The campaign began in Makurdi, Benue State, with a sensitisation programme held on Thursday at the Government Model Secondary School hall, according to a statement issued by the Continental Chairman of NIDO Africa, Prof. Jude Osakwe, and made available to Diaspora Tales.
Osakwe said the initiative seeks to equip young Nigerians with the knowledge needed to recognise the warning signs of human trafficking and resist attempts by traffickers to exploit vulnerable children and youths.
He noted that no fewer than 25 secondary schools across Makurdi participated in the event, underscoring the organisers’ efforts to reach a large number of students through a single awareness drive.
According to him, the programme brought together government agencies, law enforcement bodies and other stakeholders committed to combating human trafficking through education and public awareness.
Representatives from the Benue State Office of the Attorney General, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Benue State Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management attended the event.
Speakers at the programme urged students, teachers and parents to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to the deceptive tactics commonly employed by human traffickers.
Osakwe added that the campaign will continue in Asaba, Delta State, before moving to Benin City, Edo State. The nationwide tour is expected to conclude with a grand finale in Abuja, where organisers plan to reinforce the campaign’s anti-human trafficking message on a national platform.
