The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) has sought the partnership of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in tackling irregular migration of Nigerians abroad.
Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Federal Commissioner, NCFRMI, sought the partnership on Wednesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the agency in Abuja.
She said that Nigeria had the 5th largest number of citizens crossing to Europe and the highest number of irregular migrant flow through the Agadez route.
Farouq called on NOA to assist NCFRMI in sensitising Nigerians on the dangers of irregular migration, adding that most people who embarked on such dangerous trip ended up dead or in terrible situations.
According to Farouq, Nigerians need to be adequately sensitised on the dangers of embarking on such dangerous journey.
She said the enlightenment was necessary to check the number of people falling victims of criminal syndicates through irregular migration.
Federal Commissioner noted that members of these syndicates were either sex or drug traffickers.
She said that with the assistance of NOA, the sensitisation would go beyond media campaign to grassroots.
Farouq said that the NCFRMI would also seek the partnership of NOA in its activities to mark the International Migrants Day scheduled for Dec. 18.
She said that the international event would focus on irregular migration as a result of the increasing number of young Nigerians embarking on dangerous journeys through the Mediterranean and deserts.
Farouq said that the horrific story of the dead bodies of 26 Nigerian women, discovered recently at the bank of the Mediterranean Sea, called for urgent solution to irregular migration.
“Recognising that the National Orientation Agency is a member of the Technical Working Group on Migration and Development, and charged with raising sensitisation among citizens, the commission will like to work closely with the organisation.
“We are exploring areas of partnership and collaboration with the agency in the areas of sensitisation and creating awareness on issues of irregular migration.
“ Irregular migration is one of the topical issues in the country and globally, we feel that there is need to sensitize our nationals on the dangers of irregular migration.
“Our nationals have been embarking on dangerous journeys across the desert and the Mediterranean to travel to Europe.
”In the process, some lose their lives while others go through all sorts of dehumanisation in that journey.
“It is important to sensitise them and let them know that they are being deceived and that it is not all greener pasture over there.
“The National Orientation Agency has the capacity to do that.“
Responding, Mr Garba Abari, Director-General, NOA pledged the support of the agency in supporting NCFRMI in the fight against irregular migration.
He said that addressing irregular migration was a topical issue which is not limited to Nigeria but a global issue that called for global action.
Abari said that NOA had been sensitising Nigerians on the dangers of irregular migration and would continue.
He said that the government was doing its best in sensitisation and other measures to address irregular migration.
The NOA boss called on citizens to key into government’s effort to adequately tackle the menace.
Abari said that to achieve result, there was need for greater collaboration and synergy among relevant stakeholders.
He said that NOA would make available, vans and other materials needed for road shows, awareness creation and colloquium to commemorate 2017 International Migrant Day celebration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that hundreds of African refugees, including Nigerians, are reported being bought and sold in `slave markets’ in Libya.
Many of them are also held for ransom or forced into prostitution and sexual exploitation to pay their captors and smugglers.