The Federal Government has inaugurated a 15-man committee to address the issues of irregular migration and human trafficking in the country.
The committee is headed by the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede, and the Edo Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Yinka Omoregbe, as Alternate Chairman.
The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, who inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Tuesday, said the committee was set up to provide possible solutions to issues of irregular migration nad human trafficking in the country.
Mr Dambazau said that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo and his team were in Abuja sometime ago to discuss the issues of human trafficking and irregular migration.
He said that during the visit, it was agreed that a committee should be set up to provide recommendations to tackle the menace.
He urged the 15-man committee to make the recommendations as detailed as possible.
“Look at all the issues of irregular migration, human trafficking, do not forget the fact that Nigeria is a sub-transit country, so we are also receiving as we are also having ours going out.
“So, look at all those issues, how to deal with these issues, particularly as they relate to Edo, because most of the traffickers are sourcing from Edo, according to statistics.
“It is not just trafficking within the Mediterranean Sea; we also have trafficking within the country and the region and even within the continent.
“As a matter of fact, statistics have shown that 85 percent of movement is within Africa, only about 15 per cent is outside Africa,’’ the minister said.
He urged the committee to look at what to do to stop or reduce the menace of human trafficking and irregular migration in the region.
The committee is expected to turn in its recommendations within four weeks.
In his remarks, Mr Babandede commended the Federal Government for the lofty initiative to seek solution to the menace of human trafficking and irregular migration.
He assured the minister that the committee would examine all the issues and do a good work.
Members of the Inter-Ministerial committee who attended the inaugural meeting included officials from NAPTIP, DSS and representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
NAN
