By Omonua Angela
As part of activities marking the year 2025 World Day Against Trafficking In Persons, the Edo State Government through the Edo State Migration Agency (EDMA), has solicited the cooperation of relevant stakeholders to check the exploitations of the vulnerable by the activities of human traffickers in the State.
Themed “Human Trafficking is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation,” the annual event of 30th July, was preluded by a press briefing at the EDMA’s Board Room, where its Director General (DG), Hon. Chief Lucky Agazuma reassured residents of the Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo’s commitments to moving the State forward. He assured that the Governor is fighting irregular migration with increasing engagements of youths in his Government and appointments of persons in the diaspora.
Hon. Agazuma restated that EDMA was formally known as the Edo State Tax Force Against Human Trafficking, which was repealed in year 2024 and renamed. He declared that the Agency is succeeding because they believe in collaboration, soliciting stakeholders’ collaboration to succeed on the crusade against illegal migration and trafficking in persons. He submitted that no organisation succeeds in isolation, but with collaboration, there would be strategic innovations.
The EDMA Boss disclosed that the Agency has developed the S³q, the ERQ models, and four ‘Ps’, explaining that the S³Q is a migration language. He stated that the models will help to coordinate stakeholders including community-based organisations (CBOs), civil society organisations (CSOs) on how to track and report crimes relating to human trafficking.
He said when trafficked persons are returned and their parents reject, EDMA admits, rehabilitate and reintegrate victims back to the society. He explained the four ‘Ps’ as prevent, protect, prosecute and asserted that it is possible because of the Agency’s partnership with relevant Stakeholders. He added the commemoration is a call for action, saying human trafficking involves transportation, recruitment, extortion, deception, sextortion, adoption in persons and other persons receiving payment at the expense of others.
Hon. Agazuma cautioned that human trafficking is dangerous, and could lead to deaths, human organ harvesting, force labour amongst others. He decried how Edo State was labelled place for human traffickers, where young ladies were victimized, but that on the contrary, it was discovered during a raid that most commercial sex workers are not from the State, but only use the State as their hub.
The DG of EDMA listed his Agency’s vision to include promoting safe migration for persons in the State, assuring that those seeking visas could get assistance from the Agency. He revealed that some vulnerable persons fall victims without knowing, and maintained that human trafficking is a crime against the State with the warning that anyone found wanting will be prosecuted.
He restated how a girl from Edo Central Senatorial District was trafficked out by shenanigans to Libya and was later kidnapped with demand for ransom. He disclosed that the victim was released without ransom and that the perpetrators were apprehended. He declared that the Agency sorted everything out and reunited her with her family. Same was related about a 14-year-old girl, Iwinosa Oko-Oboh, who was trafficked to Burkina Faso and was rescued also.
Hon. Agazuma appreciated the Coordinator, Office of the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Anani, whom he said has been at the forefront of the fight against human trafficking in the State. He acknowledged the magnanimity of Rev. Matthew Okpebholo, who donated a building to the Agency in Uromi to support the Sen. Okpebholo’s led administration in the fight against human trafficking in the State.
