NAPTIP urges Ogun school principals to lead the fight against human trafficking and protect vulnerable students through targeted education and awareness campaigns
The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Binta Bello, has urged secondary school principals in Ogun State to take the lead in addressing human trafficking.
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Speaking during a two-day training in Abeokuta, Bello said human trafficking remains the second most profitable organised crime globally.
She stated it generates about 150 billion dollars every year and continues to destroy lives across Nigeria. Ogun State has been identified as one of the worst affected areas.
The event, which hosted 50 selected principals, was organised in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development. Participants were also coordinators of Anti-Trafficking Vanguard Clubs in their schools.
Represented by Josiah Emerole, Director of Research and Programme Development, Bello explained the agency’s aim is to catch young people early by raising awareness in schools.
“Some of these victims are in your schools,” she said. “You may not know yet, but after this training you will be able to identify them and support them.”
Bello stressed the urgency of tackling both internal and external trafficking. Internal trafficking often involves moving children from rural communities to urban areas for forced labour in quarries and other hazardous environments.
Rhoda Dia-Johnson, Project Manager for the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project, reminded attendees that principals must protect students from exploitation.
She said, “You are more than educators. You are the first defenders of children’s rights in schools.”
The Commissioner for Education in Ogun State, Professor Abayomi Arigbabu, pledged the ministry’s support for the initiative.
Represented by Akinola Okereafor, Director of Education Support Service, he said the state has begun integrating child protection policies into its school system.
He added that schools are not just centres for learning, but also safe spaces where children must feel protected and supported.
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Human trafficking remains a serious concern across Nigeria. By involving educators directly, NAPTIP hopes to stop the crime before it happens and ensure every child has the opportunity to learn in safety.
