The warning was issued at a one day engagement summit held to commemorate the 2023 International Day of Migrants, (IDM), in Asaba, Delta State capital.
Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Justice, Mr Omamuzo Erebe, represented by Mrs Juliet Ojefia, the Director of Peoples Right Department, who spoke on the theme, ‘Safe and Orderly Migration, What You Need To Know, Have And Do’, stressed the need for collective efforts towards tackling irregular migration.
She also spoke of the need to inform youths of the dangers of irregular migration, as well as the proper processes to follow if they wish to migrate.
In a keynote address, the Coordinator of the Taskforce on Irregular Migration, Mrs Ijeoma Nwanze, said that the stakeholders engagement summit was targeted at the youths.
“The International Day of Migrants was set aside to raise awareness on rights of migrants, the consequences and the dangers of irregular migration as well as the need to practice safe and orderly migration.
“The Taskforce on Irregular Migration was set up in the state by the immediate past administration after going through the alarming reports that so many Deltans were being trafficked irregularly.
“Part of their mandates was to raise awareness to the public, particularly the youths who are the targets of the smugglers,” she said.
Nwanze told prospective migrants that if they must travel outside the country, they should do so in a genuine manner by seeking information that would be of benefit to them, stressing that most people had been subjected to irregular migration due to ignorance.
