The Delta State Government has intensified its campaign against human trafficking, smuggling and irregular migration, popularly known as the “Japa Syndrome”, with a call on residents to remain vigilant and join efforts to combat the menace.
The call was made during a sensitisation programme for stakeholders held in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area, by the Delta State Ministry of Justice in collaboration with relevant agencies.
Declaring the programme open, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, who is also the Chairman of the Delta State Task Force Against Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, said law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and legislative institutions were working tirelessly to dismantle trafficking networks, prosecute offenders and ensure justice for victims.
Ohwovoriole reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring that perpetrators of human trafficking and related offences face the full weight of the law.
He disclosed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had signed the Delta State Human Trafficking (Prohibition) Law, 2024, adding that the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was currently prosecuting more than 15 human trafficking cases before the Delta State High Court under the law.
He further noted that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) was also handling trafficking-related cases before the Federal High Courts in the state.
According to him, the state government is working closely with relevant partners to rescue victims trapped in trafficking situations and facilitate their safe return home.
The Attorney-General observed that human traffickers had become increasingly sophisticated, using digital platforms, fraudulent job advertisements and deceptive promises of overseas opportunities to lure unsuspecting victims.
He stressed that legislation and law enforcement alone could not eradicate human trafficking, noting that community participation, vigilance and collective responsibility were equally important in tackling the crime.
Speaking, the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Barrister Sam Offiah, represented by Stephen Selowo, commended the Delta State Government for its proactive approach to addressing human trafficking and unsafe migration through sustained sensitisation and public enlightenment programmes.
Selowo observed that human trafficking had evolved from a local challenge into a global crisis requiring urgent and coordinated intervention.
He warned that even educated and ambitious young people were increasingly falling victim to sophisticated trafficking syndicates operating under the guise of offering lucrative employment opportunities abroad.
“Human trafficking is not only a moral crime but a growing global business that feeds on desperation. The slang ‘Japa’ may sound harmless, but when aspiration turns into desperation, people become vulnerable, and that vulnerability is what traffickers exploit,” he said.
He commended Delta State for its leadership in state-level advocacy and urged other states to emulate its commitment to intergovernmental collaboration and public enlightenment.
In her lecture, the Secretary of the Delta State Task Force on Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Mrs Ijeoma Nwanze, described human trafficking as a modern-day slavery that required collective resolve to eradicate.
She expressed concern over the growing Japa Syndrome, noting that the increasing desire among Nigerians to seek opportunities abroad had exposed many to deceptive trafficking networks promising non-existent jobs and better living conditions overseas.
Nwanze explained that establishing a case of human trafficking requires evidence of key elements, including movement, exploitation, deception, coercion and the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to secure control of victims.
She urged participants to become ambassadors of awareness by taking the lessons from the sensitisation programme back to their respective communities and educating others on the dangers of human trafficking and unsafe migration.
“Together, we can build a Delta where no dream is trafficked and no ambition is enslaved,” she said.
