The House of Representatives says 80,000 Nigerians are
currently held as sex slaves and in forced labour across the world.
During plenary on Thursday, Chairman of the Committee on
Diaspora, Tolu Akande-Sadipe, said majority were in Lebanon, Mali and across
the Middle East.
She condemned the complacency of Ministries of Foreign
Affairs, Labour and Employment.
Sadipe alerted that the Foreign Affairs Ministry, under the
guise of diplomacy, was working to release alleged Lebanese trafficker, Wafic
Mohammed Hamza.
Hamza was apprehended by National Agency for the Prohibition
of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for alleged trafficking of sixteen Nigerian
girls to Lebanon.
“Records show that Wafic Hamza was complicit in the
trafficking of 16 girls. 10 have been repatriated to Nigeria, and 6 remain
stranded in Lebanon.
“Hamza is in custody in Ilorin, Kwara State, awaiting trial
for trafficking. But it appears that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working
for his release without any regard for our citizens losses, their repatriation
back home and compensation.”
Sadipe decried the unprecedented rise in the dehumanization
of citizens even in nations with long history of cordial relationship with
Nigeria.
“The ongoing sordid dehumanizing treatment foisted on
Nigerians abroad particularly trafficked girls under the cover of foreign
domestic staff has become very disturbing.
“According to NAPTIP, in the past one year, there has been
an alarming number of daily distress calls from Nigerian women crying to be
rescued due to the inhumane conditions they face in countries like Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Oman, Lebanon and Mali.”
The legislator, in a motion raised, called for parliamentary
intervention to ensure eradication of trafficking and maltreatment of citizens
in foreign land.
Sadipe implored President Muhammadu Buhari to sanction the
Minister and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, for
allegedly violating suspension of the issuance of International Recruiters
Licenses.
She decried that many companies were excused from the
mandatory annual reporting requirements on location and conditions of service
of each recruited Nigerian taken abroad.
Speaking, Hon. Tolulope Akande, raised the plight of
Nigerian students in Turkey who cannot afford the cost of evacuation flight.
She urged the House to compel the Foreign Affairs Ministry
to negotiate affordable flights for nationals in the diaspora.
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