The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says travelling agents must obtain clearance certificates before embarking on any journey.

At a novelty match between the agency football club, and All Stars Football Club, Abuja, to create awareness of trafficking, the agency director-general, Fatima Waziri-Azi, said the mission of travelling for any agent would be specified in the clearance certificate.

Ms Waziri- Azi added that the clearance certificate would help to reduce the trafficking and migration of persons from Nigeria.

She said the nexus between sport and the fight against human trafficking was evident, as current trends in human trafficking had been traced to a relationship with sporting activities.

According to her, traffickers capitalise on sporting activities to deceive the young Nigerians by telling them they could get them contracts in other countries and take them to where they wanted them to go.

“We are collaborating with other partners and agencies to carry out this sports sensitisation, not just to sensitise the young people but also sensitise their parents for them to be able to recognise the red flag,” she added.

The director-general, therefore, cautioned young Nigerians about sports agents and told them that when they were offered sports opportunities abroad, they must first ask for a clearance certificate from NAPTIP from the agent.

She said the agency had trafficked in person control activities, Organisations Regulations 2019, which empowered the agency to regulate, control and issue certificates to tour operators, travel agents.

According to her, the regulations also empower NAPTIP to regulate and control individuals who are also preparing to travel out for an educational excursion, sporting and cultural activities.

Daju Kailallom, the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, disclosed that the ministry was working to make job opportunities available to Nigerians.

According to her, a national steering committee from the ministry and other stakeholders was working to discourage young Nigerians from migrating out of the country.

(NAN)