By Admin
Benue Government and NAPTIP have intensified efforts against human trafficking, warning youths against fake online job offers, scholarships and cyber-enabled recruitment scams targeting vulnerable persons across the state.
NAPTIP Zonal Commander Mrs Hembadoom Kuma said this on Monday in Makurdi that this year’s theme, “Trapped Behind the Scam”, reflected the growing threat of human trafficking through deceptive online platforms.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the event was in commemoration of the 2026 World Day Against Human Trafficking.
Kuma said insecurity and displacement in Benue exposed families in IDP camps and host communities to traffickers, who deceive victims with false promises of employment, education and better living conditions.
She said the Makurdi Zonal Command intensified awareness campaigns, dismantled trafficking networks, secured arrests and convictions, rescued victims, and provided shelter, healthcare, counselling, legal aid and vocational training for reintegration.
Kuma urged parents, traditional rulers, community leaders and stakeholders to remain vigilant and avoid releasing children to individuals making unverified promises of employment, education or better opportunities elsewhere.
She cautioned youths against fake overseas jobs, scholarships and cyber-trafficking schemes and advised them to verify every opportunity with NAPTIP before travelling or accepting suspicious offers from unknown recruiters.
Kuma challenged newsmen to embrace investigative, ethical and survivor-centred reporting that exposes trafficking networks, educates communities, protects victims’ identities and promotes available reporting channels across Benue State.
She reaffirmed NAPTIP’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with government, security agencies, civil society organisations and development partners to eliminate human trafficking and protect vulnerable persons across Benue State.
Kuma appreciated the Benue Government for supporting anti-trafficking efforts and called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to strengthen prevention, prosecution, victim protection and public awareness across the state.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yangien Ornguga, said modern human trafficking increasingly thrives through digital platforms rather than traditional cross-border movements, targeting unsuspecting youths with deceptive online schemes.
He said traffickers exploit social media, fake jobs, online scams, cryptocurrency fraud and deceptive offers to lure young people into forced labour, exploitation, modern slavery and other abusive situations.
Ornguga, Chairman of the Benue Task Force Against Human Trafficking, declared that Benue would never become a safe haven for traffickers or their criminal collaborators anywhere statewide.
He said Gov. Hyacinth Alia’s administration was strengthening prosecution through collaboration with NAPTIP, police, NSCDC and the judiciary to ensure traffickers were investigated and prosecuted under relevant laws effectively.
The attorney general said the government was expanding awareness campaigns in schools, churches, mosques, markets, motor parks, local governments and social media to educate residents against trafficking scams statewide.
He said the government remained committed to protecting victims through rehabilitation and reintegration, stressing survivors deserved compassion, support and justice because they should never be treated as criminals.
He warned traffickers that Benue was not available for their criminal activities, promising authorities would find, prosecute and ensure they faced the full weight of the law.
Ornguga urged youths to verify suspicious job offers, avoid travelling without proper documentation and promptly report questionable recruitment opportunities to NAPTIP and other law enforcement agencies immediately.
