HUMAN TRAFFICKERS NOW RECRUITING VICTIMS ON SOCIAL MEDIA- NAPTIP BOSS ALERTS. (PHOTO).

 Human traffickers now recruiting victims on social media - NAPTIP boss alerts

The Commander of the Benin Zonal office of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Ganiu Aganran, has revealed that human traffickers now recruit their victims via social media.

Aganran, who was recently deployed to the Zonal office, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in his office in Benin.

The new Commander noted that poverty was not the only factor contributing to human trafficking, blaming greed, desperation, peer pressure and unemployment among others as underlying reasons for human trafficking.

Aganra called for a collaborative approach to combat human trafficking, warning parents to be vigilant about their children’s activities, especially online, as human traffickers were increasingly using social media to recruit victims.

He promised that the Agency would work with other law enforcement agencies, stakeholders, and the media to achieve its goals.

“We cannot do it alone, we need the support of all stakeholders to combat human trafficking.

“We need to educate the public on the dangers of human trafficking, especially in rural communities where the victims are mostly recruited,” he said.

“Parents should be vigilant about their children’s activities, especially online, as human traffickers are using social media to recruit victims,” he warned.

Aganran however, vowed to tackle the menace of human trafficking in the zone by addressing these underlying issues/factors through its programmes.

According to him, the Agency under his watch would focus more on public awareness creation, particularly in rural communities, to prevent human trafficking and educate the public on the dangers of the crime.

This, he said, would be achieved through collaboration with the International Centre for Migration and Policy Development (ICMPD), and in partnership with the Ministries of Education and Justice.