By Ebi Kesiena
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says it is intensifying efforts to expose the ever-evolving tactics employed by human traffickers to lure victims.
The IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Mr Laurent de Boeck, committed at an Award ceremony for the IOM 2023 short Film contest on Combating Human Trafficking, in Abuja, Nigeria.
Mr de Boeck also enjoined stakeholders to raise awareness through any available means to mitigate the menace of trafficking in society.
“This event marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time: the scourge of human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights that affects millions of lives around the world, and Nigeria is unfortunately no exception. But in the face of this daunting challenge, we find hope and inspiration in the power of art and storytelling.
Today, as we celebrate the filmmakers who have used their creativity and vision to shed light on this issue, provoke thought, and ignite conversations that can drive real change, we must remind ourselves of the need to amplify our efforts in raising awareness about the ever-evolving tactics employed by human traffickers,” De Boeck said.
The Chief of Mission, also explained that human trafficking criminals target vulnerable groups, including migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, and survivors of gender-based violence, which needs collaborative efforts to curtail it.