The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), on Friday, inaugurated 450 secondary school students in 15 schools as anti-human trafficking and violence against persons’ ambassadors (clubs) in Delta State.

The Commander, NAPTIP, Benin Zonal Command, Sam Offiah, disclosed this during the launch of the second phase of the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP) at Ute-Okpu, Ika North East Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Offiah said that each club comprised 30 students, totalling 450 students.

The inauguration took place in Owa-Alero Secondary-Commercial School; Special Education Centre, Agbor; Ute-Okpu Grammar School; Idunuesah Secondary Schools and Umunede Mixed Secondary School, all in Ika North East and Ika South LGAs of Delta.

Addressing journalists at the end of the two-day exercise, Mr Offiah said the school clubs were formed to help sensitise the students, called vanguards, being the most vulnerable, to the dangers of human trafficking and violence against persons in Nigeria.

Mr Offiah said that in the first phase of the project implementation, the agency inaugurated 30 students in each of the 10 selected schools across the state.

He said, “The STEAP project is funded by the Government of the Netherlands and implemented by International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and NAPTIP, in collaboration with the State Ministry of Education.

“For us at NAPTIP, we are to ensure that the incidence of human trafficking in our society is reduced, especially among the school children because they easily fall prey to the antics of traffickers.

“To NAPTIP, coming to the school is getting to the grassroots, that students will be well informed about issues of human trafficking and violence against persons in society.

“So, when they see the red flags, they will report to the appropriate authorities, councillors, teachers and the agency to ensure we rescue the victim, apprehend and prosecute the suspect.”

Mr Offiah further said that STEAP, a three-year project, would end in 2027, adding that NAPTIP had put modalities in place to sustain the project.

He stated that beyond the project, the agency would monitor the clubs closely and also extend its advocacy to other schools outside the 50 targeted schools for the project.

According to him, 50 schools have been selected to benefit from the STEAP project in each of the five pilot states in Nigeria, including Delta State.

“Now, we are starting the second phase of STEAP project in Delta State. On Thursday, we inaugurated vanguards in three schools, comprising 30 students each.

“Also, on Friday, we inaugurated vanguard in two schools, comprising 30 students from each school. But in this second phase, we are targeting 15 schools in the state,” Mr Offiah said.

He explained that at the end of the second phase, the agency would have inaugurated vanguards in 25 schools with 750 students.

On her part, the ICMPD resource person, Ijeoma David-Ukoko, said the school clubs were part of the STEAP project “to encourage peer-to-peer group sensitisation within and beyond their school environment to other students  on the dangers of human trafficking in society.”

She expressed joy that the school’s advocacy project had created awareness among various stakeholders.

“The two-day event in five secondary schools have reached about 900 students and stakeholders, equipping them with information about human trafficking and violence against persons in society,” Ms David-Ukoko said.

She also said that each of the 50 STEAP schools would benefit from a measurable school infrastructural improvement projects based on needs assessment in areas, such as solar power, library, borehole, toilet, books, laboratory, computers, and others.

Speaking on the project, the principals of the various schools thanked NAPTIP and ICMPD for impacting the schools positively, especially the inauguration of anti-trafficking vanguards and establishment of infrastructural projects.

The Principal, Special Education Centre, Agbor, Ezehi Chukwudi, lauded NAPTIP, ICMPD for providing the school with solar-powered borehole which, she said, made access to water easier for the special students.

Mr Chukwudi, however, called on the state government and other well-meaning Nigerians to help employ sign teachers, procure brails, other learning materials, computers and equipped laboratory for practicals to support the special students.

Some students who spoke during an interview thanked the agencies for the programme and pledged their resolve to fight against human trafficking as school vanguards and NAPTIP ambassadors.

The highpoint of the events were the inauguration of the students as members of the vanguard and the unveiling of the signpost with the inscriptions “ICMPD-STEAP, NAPTIP Anti-traficking and Violence Against Persons Vanguard” in each of the schools. 

(NAN)