CSO urges sustained public enlightenment to combat human trafficking in Enugu

The Executive Director of the Divine Era Development and Social Rights Initiative (DEDSRI), Mrs Ogechukwu Enwelum, has called for sustained public awareness campaigns to combat human trafficking in Enugu State.

Enwelum made the appeal on Monday during a stakeholders’ review meeting on the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), held in Enugu.

The project, funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

She said the initiative, themed “End Human Trafficking Now,” is designed to strengthen grassroots mobilisation, beginning in rural communities and extending to urban centres.

“We are targeting young people through schools, but the effort cannot succeed without involving caregivers and the wider community,” Enwelum said. “Our approach is to engage existing school structures to ensure a comprehensive and lasting response to human trafficking in all its forms.”

She noted that Enugu State was selected as the only South-East state among five pilot states nationwide, adding that engagement in 50 schools was already producing positive results.

The STEAP Project Manager, Mrs Rhoda-Dia Johnson, said the programme was designed to equip students with practical knowledge and life skills to reduce their vulnerability to trafficking networks.

She explained that building confidence and critical thinking among young people was key to countering the false promises often used by traffickers.

Johnson also highlighted the importance of collaboration between schools, community leaders, law enforcement agencies and civil society organisations.

“This multi-layered approach ensures that suspected cases are quickly identified and addressed, while also creating a protective environment for students within and outside the school system,” she said.

She added that continuous training for teachers and School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) was strengthening early warning systems in participating schools.

On sustainability, Johnson said the project was designed to extend beyond donor funding by empowering SBMCs to continue anti-trafficking advocacy activities.

The South-East Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Mr Jonathan Ukpai, said the initiative had progressed into a second phase, with more schools now involved beyond the initial pilot stage.

He stressed the need for clearer communication strategies that reflect the different forms of trafficking, including child labour, organ harvesting and sexual exploitation.

“Human trafficking is multi-layered. Our messaging must be clear and relatable, showing real-life scenarios people can recognise and reject,” Ukpai said.

He also expressed concern that prosecution efforts were sometimes hindered by community silence and protection of offenders, urging stronger public cooperation to ensure justice.