Human trafficking generates over $32bn annually

THE United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), on Tuesday, revealed that apart from trafficking in drugs and firearms, human trafficking is the next most lucrative crime in the world, generating over $32 billion annually.The body also revealed that about 2.5 million people were trafficked annually, with victims trafficked for sexual exploitation accounting for 79 per cent of the illicit business.UNODC representative in Nigeria, Ms Mariam Sissoko, made the revelation at a seminar organised by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for police officers in-charge of Anti-Human Trafficking unit in the 12 zones of the police and Force headquarters.The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, charged the participating police officers to immediately reorganise their offices, achieve results and report back to him on successes recorded monthly.UNODC explained that people who indulge in human trafficking, do so for illicit profit and were further motivated by 'misery, pain, frustration, deprivation, trauma and denial of opportunities for actualisation.'Represented by Mrs Anne Ikpeme, Sissoko stated that, 'as part of the national task force set up in 2006 by stakeholders in Nigeria, the police are expected to assist in overseeing the implementation of the National Plan of Action and coordinate all actions and activities towards the fight against trafficking in persons in the country.'The Inspector General of Police, on his part, told officers on the Juvenile Desk in police formations, to take the issue of children and women abuse seriously, saying he would not take it kindly if information of their dereliction of duty gets to him.He reminded them that with the challenges being faced by the country, 'there is the urgent need for us to change for the better in order to bring this issue in tandem with global trends in the fight against such malaise.'Representatives of the Embassy of Czechokoslovakia, Mr. Milos Smith and his counterpart from Finland, Mr. Miscoson, expressed satisfaction with the responses of the Police to the issue and promised greater support for Nigeria.They noted that with the global dimension of human trafficking, it was imperative that Nigeria remains in constant touch with other countries and also imbibe global technological machineries and mechanisms for fighting the malaise.
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