Stakeholders at the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons commemoration in Kogi State have called on the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to urgently constitute and inaugurate a state task force to strengthen efforts against human trafficking.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the event held on Thursday at the Kogi State Banquet Hall, Government House, Lokoja, to commemorate the global event with the theme: “Trapped Behind the Scam.”
The communiqué, adopted by participants drawn from government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), security agencies, civil society organisations, journalists, secondary schools, disability groups, traditional and religious institutions, youth representatives and development partners in partnership with the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), reaffirmed their commitment to combating human trafficking in all its forms.
The stakeholders observed that human trafficking remains a major challenge in Kogi State and across Nigeria, driven by poverty, unemployment, irregular migration, inadequate public awareness, weak community surveillance and the growing use of digital platforms by traffickers.
They noted that the increasing wave of online recruitment scams and fraudulent employment opportunities had exposed many young people to trafficking networks operating within and outside the country.
According to the communiqué, children, women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups remain at greater risk of exploitation due to limited access to education, economic opportunities and social protection.
The participants stressed that stronger collaboration among government institutions, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, schools, the media, traditional institutions and local communities is critical to preventing trafficking, protecting victims, prosecuting offenders and supporting survivors.
They also identified schools as strategic platforms for awareness creation and early detection of trafficking among adolescents, while urging the media to sustain ethical and evidence-based reporting capable of exposing trafficking networks and encouraging timely reporting of suspected cases.
Among the resolutions reached at the meeting was a call for NAPTIP to urgently establish a functional anti-trafficking task force in Kogi State to coordinate interventions.
The stakeholders also advocated intensified statewide awareness campaigns focusing on digital scams, deceptive recruitment and online exploitation, particularly among young people and other vulnerable groups.
They resolved to strengthen collaboration among NACTAL, government agencies, security organisations, immigration authorities, educational institutions and civil society organisations to improve intelligence sharing, victim identification and prosecution of traffickers.
The communiqué further urged the integration of anti-trafficking education into school activities through awareness clubs, debates, seminars and peer education programmes to educate students on safe migration, online safety and trafficking prevention.
Participants also called for inclusive anti-trafficking interventions by ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal access to information, protection and support services.
They advocated stronger community-based surveillance through traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, women organisations and community volunteers, while calling on governments at all levels to invest more in victim support services, including shelters, psychosocial care, legal assistance, education, vocational training and economic empowerment.
The meeting further urged strict enforcement of existing anti-trafficking laws to ensure that traffickers, recruiters, financiers and their collaborators are investigated, prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law.
The communiqué also appealed to parents, teachers, guardians and community leaders to remain vigilant against fraudulent offers of employment, education, travel and migration that could serve as channels for trafficking.
The participants commended security agencies, civil society organisations, development partners, educational institutions and the media for their contributions to the fight against trafficking in persons.
They called for sustained collaboration, increased public awareness, adequate funding and stronger political commitment to eliminate trafficking in all its forms.
The stakeholders reaffirmed that ending human trafficking requires collective action and pledged to continue working together to ensure that no one is “Trapped Behind the Scam” while advancing the protection of victims and justice for survivors in Kogi State.
