The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) yesterday sensitised persons with disabilities on the new trend of human trafficking and exploitation in Edo State.
Speaking during the event as part of activities to mark Human Trafficking Day in Benin, the NAPTIP commander, Benin zonal office, Nduka Nwawenene, a lawyer, said the sensitisation became necessary as persons living with disabilities have also become victims of human trafficking.
“There have been silent recruitment and exploitation of persons with disabilities, so with this enlightenment, it is an avenue to bring them into the NAPTIP effort to end human trafficking,” he said.
He noted that the programme was designed to educate them on human trafficking and organ harvesting, which is now the new trend of human trafficking.
He said that between January 2022 and now, the agency has secured the conviction of 124 traffickers across the country.
On her part, the chairman, Joint National Association of Persons Living with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Ann Obehi Ojugo, said the sensitisation was timely as they had discovered that persons with disabilities were being trafficked, especially the deaf and dumb.
She said most of its members, especially the deaf, clustered due to lack of information and awareness and had fallen victim to human trafficking and exploitation.
