Survivors of human trafficking that recently returned from Libya were alarmed when medical tests conducted revealed that their vital organs especially Kidneys were harvested without their consent.
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Director General, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, who revealed this said the trafficked victims were usually served drinks laced with drugs before the organ harvesters took advantage of them.
Prof. Waziri-Azi disclosed this at a training and capacity development orientation on standard reporting template for journalists and officers of NAPTIP’s press and public relations unit held in Lagos.
The DG, who was represented by the Director, Intelligence Training and Manpower Development, Arinze Orakwe, said: “Majority of the victims are irregular migrants and displaced persons. As a result, they are subjected to any kind of ill-treatment by the criminals who exploit them.
“We got to know about the incident when they were brought back home by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Immediately they are brought back home, through their medical screening, we got to know what happened to the returnees.
“Many of them were surprised to find incision on them and discovered that their organs had been harvested by the criminals.
“The criminals are not only harvesting kidneys, they also take bile, pancreas among others. Those who returned safely should thank God.
“In this part of the world, we are quick to classify people who cut off body parts as ritual killers, but it is a serious business in countries like Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, India and presently in South Africa where organs businesses are thriving.”
According to the DG, the essence of the training was to get participants to feel the nuances; share the pains/trauma of victims; the callousness of travelers; the obscenity of it all; the compassion of law enforcement, the dilemma of protection officers and the need for decisiveness of the judiciary in handling cases arising from the abuse of the human rights of persons by human traffickers.
She said: “Human trafficking is a clear and present danger to all. It’s a waste of our best and brightest and has huge human security implication.
“Human Trafficking is the meeting point of desperation or displaced persons in the society and obscene and callous individuals who must cash in on the desperation to get out of poverty. Consent of a victim is not an excuse at all.
“I believe that at the end of this engagement, we will not only develop an effective working tool, but build a robust media corps tackling issues of human trafficking in Nigeria.”
