Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday Inaugurated the state taskforce on human trafficking.
While inaugurating them at the Lagos house,Ikeja the Governor tasked them to come up with ideas,policies and innovations to assist the state government in curbing the menace.
According to the Governor,the pandemic has created more economic difficulties leaving many young ladies,children and even women vulnerable and most likely become expose to the perils of human trafficking to better their lives.
Sanwo-Olu however noted that the composition of the taskforce would not have come at a better time as all hands must be on deck to fight the scourge and stop human trafficking.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated many global inequalities and plunged many economies like ours into recession, leaving millions of people at greater risk of being trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced marriages and other crimes”.
“In view of this, I strongly believe that this initiative of constituting State Task Forces on Human Trafficking could not have come at a better time than now when it is needed more than ever that we put human dignity and human rights at the forefront and governments across all levels need to join hands and make collaborative efforts to put an end to the scourge of human trafficking.
“The Government and people of Lagos understand the value of partnership as an inestimable tool in combating the transnational organised crime of human trafficking and as a result, we use this opportunity to assure you of our unwavering support, collaboration and strong partnership in providing all that is needed to ensure we bring an end to the menace of human trafficking in our society.”
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“Everyday, in every country of the world, at least a person is reported as a victim of human trafficking while several other cases go either unnoticed or unreported. The menace of human trafficking has not only become a sad reality, it has also sadly become a profitable venture for criminals who exploit people by kidnapping them, selling them into forced prostitution, forced labour and also until very recently into modern day slavery. Unfortunately, human trafficking has now become that bitter bile that is not felt by the victims alone, but rather affects humanity in general as it encroaches on our right and dignity as a people.
“For years, local and international media have been awash with horrifying stories of people especially Nigerian women and girls who have been trafficked for sexual and labour exploitation, and also of migrants trapped in Libya in slavery-like conditions or dying as they crossed the Mediterranean Sea.
