NAPTIP urges stakeholder collaboration as 7 Rivers LGAs register surge in human trafficking
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has stressed the need for stronger stakeholder collaboration in the fight against human trafficking. The call followed a reported rise in cases of human trafficking in seven local government areas of Rivers State. Nwamaka Ikediashi, NAPTIP’s Rivers State Commander, during activities marking the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, identified the local government areas to include: Eleme, Tai, Gokana, Emohua, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, and Khana. She said the Rivers State Government must actively participate in tackling the rising trend of human trafficking. Ikediashi noted, “The fight against human trafficking is not a fight that NAPTIP can do alone. We have our major stakeholders, security agencies. Here in Rivers State, the government has to be proactive on issues regarding human trafficking.” She explained that trafficking “is an offence that sometimes is not always in the news, because the victims don’t like publicising certain things. So when handling some of these issues, it’s low-key.” Ikediashi said, “There’s a rising trend of trafficking, especially in the area of foreign travel to promote sexual exploitation, that’s forced prostitution. It’s very, very common. And in Rivers State, there are some endemic areas, which include: Eleme, Tai, Khana, Gokana, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Emohua.” She confirmed that cases of human organ harvesting and forced labour continue to take place in parts of Rivers State. “When you talk about forms of trafficking, there are external forms of trafficking, there are internal forms of trafficking, but we are concentrating more on the internal form of trafficking,” she said. Ikediashi said internal forms of trafficking include child labour, sexual exploitation,
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Business Day Nigeria•7/30/2026
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