Oche Onu
Human trafficking has become an alarming and rapidly growing problem in Benue State, prompting stakeholders to urge both the government and residents to adopt stronger measures to curb the menace.
This concern was raised during a one-day community dialogue on child trafficking organized by the Benue NGOs Network. Participants at the meeting disclosed that, based on 2024 and 2025 data from National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Benue now records the highest number of trafficking cases and rescued victims in the country, surpassing Edo State.
Chairman of BENGONET, Lazarus Mom, stated that women, young girls, and adolescents have become increasingly vulnerable to traffickers due to worsening socio-economic conditions. He attributed the rise in trafficking to insecurity, mass displacement, and growing poverty, especially among internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Also speaking at the event, the Benue State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission, Daniel Entonu, noted that human trafficking thrives where human rights protections are weak. According to him, the crime violates fundamental human rights and undermines the dignity of victims.
He identified common forms of trafficking-related exploitation to include sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic servitude, slavery, organ harvesting, forced begging, and forced marriage. He further listed poverty, poor access to education, and weakened family structures among the major factors fueling the crime.
Source: online news agencies
Comments
Post a Comment