Connect with us

Niger Delta

NAPTIP Identifies Human Trafficking Techniques

Published

on

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has listed tricks used by human traffickers to find their victims.
Director of Public Enlightenment, NAPTIP, Mr Josiah Emerole, who made the disclosure at a training organised for media professionals in Asaba, Delta State, said the traffickers often capitalised on victims’ ignorance.
The four days training is organised by NAPTIP in partnership with Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Nigeria (A- TIPSOM NIGERIA),
A-TIPSOM NIGERIA is a Spanish project funded by European Union (EU) to fight human trafficking.
The training is also aimed at developing standard reporting template for members of the Trafficking in Persons media corps and public relations unit of NAPTIP.
Emerole said the new tricks utilised by Traffickers in Persons (TiP) include technology, hunting, fishing, surrogacy, sports; especially football, orphanage and homes, among others.
He noted that before now, the human traffickers use direct contact, also known as physical contact, but have opted for the new tricks.
Emerole explained that the traffickers often leverage on social media to reach the public, especially their target.
“Through this, innocent Nigerians have been trafficked. Thank God that NAPTIP is clamping down on these evil traders,” he said
On hunting tricks, he said the traffickers would continually request for friendship on social media either using nick names or impostors.
While explaining the fishing tricks, Emerole said traffickers often published mouth watering job offers to entice unsuspecting job seekers.
The NAPTIP Director, however, stressed that technology has its positive impact in combating crime, enhancing prosecution and fast dissemination of news.
“However, offers through social media must be investigated through the agency ,” he said.
He explained that any couple with children that still using surrogate could be a suspected case of child trafficking or labour.
“Orphanage trafficking is more rampant with unregistered orphanages and homes, with owners canvassing for poor parents under the disguise of caring for their children.
“We appeal to all parents to check the legal status of the orphanage with the relevant Local Government Area before releasing their wards,” he said.
According to Emerole, traffickers often disguise as orphanage operators.
“Not too long the agency recovered about 75 children out of about 140 children trafficked by an orphanage.
“”NAPTIP would never relent to beam its searchlight on these cunning individuals and exposed them,” he said.
He further disclosed that over 20,000 Nigerian youths were trapped in shanties in mining areas in Mali, where they were being sexually exploited.

Continue Reading

Niger Delta

Traditional Rulers Council Honours Two Commissioners

Published

on

The Usomini Council of Traditional Rulers in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, has bestowed prestigious traditional titles on two Commissioners currently serving in the State Executive Council in the State for their contributions to the development of the State and their local government as well as the Usomini community. They are Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Hon Isaac Umejuru; and the Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh.
While Hon Umejuru was  honoured with the chieftaincy title of Eze Chi na Chi 1 of Ogbaland, Dr Oreh was conferred with the title of Ugo Nwanyibueze.
The epoch-making ceremony was held recently in Obirikom Community, all attracted people from all walks of life.The event coincided with the grand reception organised by the Usomini community in honour of the two Commissioners, who all hail from State Constituency 1 in ONELGA.
Speaking at the event, EzeUsomini, Eze Allen Osoh said the Usomini traditional rulers council was elated over the appointment of its illustrious son and daughter into the State cabinet by Governor SiminalayiFubara, describing them as good and worthy ambassadors of the area.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the award of the contract for the construction of Igiri-Ubomini-Egbeda-Elele road project, which he noted would bring the much-desired development to the area.
The traditional ruler, however, pleaded with Governor Fubara to consider the award of contract for the construction of Usomini internal roads in order to alleviate the suffering of the people, particularly in transporting their agricultural produce to the urban area.
The Eze Ali Usominill of Ogbaland also made a passionate appeal to the Governor for the upgrading of the Usomini traditional stool to first class status.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Hon Isaac Umejuru had expressed delight over the honour done him by his people, stressing that Governor Fubara would carry ONELGA along in the development agenda of his administration.
Umejuru, who is a former caretaker committee chairman of the local government council said peace, brotherhood and good tidings would come to his people for choosing the right path, contending that the governor would successfully rule for eight years like his predecessors so that the dividends of democracy would get to the people.
According to him, God would not allow anybody’s evil imagination to thwart the eight years tenure of the Governor.
“We have chosen the right path.The path to peace. Governor Fubara, our dear son will rule Rivers State for eight years and the dividends of democracy will come to us.God will not any evil to thwart it.Dr Peter Odili who owns the original political structures in the State did not fight anybody.Nobody fought the other governors after him.Would you want our son to leave office barely after five months? It is not possible.I will take this message to the governor and will tell him that my people said that anybody against him is an enemy of Rivers State “, he said.
On her part, the Commissioner for Health, DrAdaezeOreh thanked the Usomini traditional rulers council for finding her worthy of the honour.
DrOreh, who was represented at the occasion, said she does everything within her reach to promote peace and progress in Usomini community, and noted her willingness to always take Usomini as part of her home, and regretted her inability to physically grace the event due to official engagements.

Continue Reading

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Targets 600,000 Households For Intervention Programmes

Published

on

The Akwa Ibom State Government says about 600,000 households have been captured in the social register for its various intervention programmes aimed at ameliorating economic hardship.
The Commissioner for Economic Development, Mr Emem Bob, said this during the ministerial briefing in Uyo on Monday.
The Tide’s source reports that the ministerial briefing is tagged; “ARISE Score Card’’, with the theme “Food Sufficiency and Security: The Intervention and Sustainability Strategy of Governor Umo Eno”.
Bob said though the state Social Register had increased to 2.3 million people, government was reaching out to the vulnerable poor through 600,000 households captured in the social register.
“The social register is well-structured. It’s structured in such a way that we have broken the villages, wards and Local  Government Areas.
“These make up the state social register and the total number of people we have in the social register is 2.3 million.
“When you talk about households, we have about 600,000 households in the social register and that is what we have been using for various interventions in the state”, Bob said.
The Commissioner said the process for selection into the social register was very clear and transparent.
He said the social register had been there for the past eight years, saying that the Governor only ordered that it should be expanded to accommodate those who had fallen under the poverty line.
“How people are selected for the social register is very clear. It is a very transparent process in the sense that there is what we call ‘Community Based Targeting’.
“Don’t forget that anything that involves the World Bank is very transparent; they are thorough.
“Community Based Targeting is what was used for social register and we have State Organising Coordinating Units which work with the National Social Safety Nets Coordinator Unit in Abuja.
“They work together and they have staff across the local governments. They go to villages, meet with village heads to pick these people”, he said.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, DrOffiongOfor, said the State Government had put in place a lot of intervention programmes to boost food production and reduce the prices of foodstuffs in the state.
Offor urged the people to heed to the governor’s call and return to farming, saying that farmers should form themselves into cooperative groups for easy accessibility.
“Food sustainability remains the priority of Gov. Eno’s administration. The first thing is that the Ministry of Agriculture merged with the Ministry of Rural Development which also has a component of cooperatives.
“This was deliberate because the cooperative system is the system that is driving food productivity anywhere in the world”, Offor said.

Continue Reading

Niger Delta

Former Council Boss Seeks Support For Fubara

Published

on

The former Chairman of Eleme Local Government Council of Rivers State, Amb Oji Ngofa is seeking support for the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
Ngofa expressed satisfaction over the milestones the administration of Fubara has recorded so far, saying there is need to support Governor Fubara to provide more dividends of democracy.
Ngofa, who spoke, shortly after his inauguration as Co- Chairman of the Supreme Council for Sim, said the pro-Fubara group was formed to galvanise the grassroots for the governor.
Ngofa, a former Ambassador described Governor Fubara as a liberating force for Rivers people who had suffered under the dictatorial leadership of the immediate past governor of the State.
Ngofa said the peaceful disposition of Governor Fubara and his genuine interest to develop Rivers State had made him to re-align with him to provide quality leadership for Rivers people.
He noted that Governor Fubara represents a model of experience for Rivers people in human capital development, infrastructure, health, job creation and upliftment of his people, adding that it remains the reason people like him including well- meaning Rivers people to join forces with him to unite Rivers people the more.
According to him, the governor is using the instrumentality of human capital development, job creation, and infrastructure to change the narrative in the State.
He said Governor Fubara has demystified governance in the State, being the reason different groups and individuals like him are coming out in full force to support him in the face of distractions.
Ngofa noted that Governor Fubara has under one year demonstrated his genuine love and political commitment to transform the State, adding that various groups would articulate the interest of Rivers people along the lines of the governor’s vision to develop the State.
He said Governor Fubara has been able to unite the people more than ever, by providing them a sense of belonging and the pursuit of collective growth.
Ngofa said Governor Fubara has totally ended the eight years of Chief Wike’ s lack of imagination and departure from one man show.
“What we have is total departure from what we had in the past eight years of former Governor Wike, who lacked the imagination to govern Rivers State, which clearly played out in the years he held sway as governor. Governor Fubara has ended eight years of Chief Wike’ s dictatorship by unifying and giving the people a sense of inclusion and pursuit of collective development. This is why various groups are coming up to support a peaceful man with a vision to develop the people,” he said.

Continue Reading

Trending