Task Force Boosts Capacity To Fight Human Trafficking In Ogun

          Members of the Ogun State Task Force on Human Trafficking, have completed A 3-day capacity-building workshop to enhance the state's investigation, prosecution and handling of trafficking cases.

Organised by the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education Advocacy Project (STEAP), in partnership with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), was convened by stakeholders across security, welfare, legal, civil society and the media sectors.

Declaring the training open at the Ministry of Justice Conference Room, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade, condemned human trafficking as a crime against humanity.

 Represented by the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Olusegun Olaotan, Ogungbade, emphasised the necessity of thorough investigation to secure justice, while he lauded the initiative's timeliness.

STEAP Project Manager, Mrs. Rhoda Dia-Johnson, explained that the workshop addressed emerging trends and filled operational gaps created by staff turnover and migration.

"We recognised the need to train new members and provide refresher courses to ensure our task force is equipped to identify, respond to and combat human trafficking effectively," Dia-Johnson said.

Delivering a lecture on local trafficking trends, NAPTIP State Coordinator, Mrs. Abosede Jimoh, warned that traffickers increasingly leverage social media and digital platforms to recruit victims.

Speaking further on the theme, NAPTIP Legal Officer, Mr. Femi Kehinde, detailed Nigeria’s legal frameworks, reiterating that trafficking remained a grave violation of human rights that required firm judicial action.

Also in their presentations, ICMPD resource person Mr. Simeon Favour and STEAP State Coordinator Mr. Samuel Okoroji, trained participants on case reporting metrics and updating the National Anti-Trafficking Database.

To improve inter-agency synergy, the Coordinator for the Ogun State Task Force, Oloye Akolawole Shoremi, outlined multi-stakeholder referral pathways and announced plans to publish a public directory detailing the roles and responsibilities of local service providers.

Speaking on behalf of participants, Dr. Mary Okeriafo from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Olubunmi Ashimolowo of Gender Development Initiative and Mr. Taiwo Adebajo, commended the organisers, noting that the actionable insights gained would significantly elevate operational responses across Ogun State.