House of Representatives Member, Akande-Sadipe, Reunites Oman Trafficked Victim With Family

The House of Representatives member representing Oluyole Federal Constituency of Oyo State in the 9th National Assembly,  Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, has reunited an indigene of the state who was repatriated from Oman to Nigeria with her family.

Akande-Sadipe, who is the chairman House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, stated that the affected person was repatriated to the country through the Muritala Muhammed international Airport, Lagos

She said the victim, Adunni Nafisat Oseni, a member of her constituency, was denied the opportunity to return home by her employers until her office intervened.

The returnee willingly submitted herself to be repatriated back to Nigeria due to the inhumane situation she and many others were subjected to in Oman.

Akande-Sadipe decried the inhumane treatment being melted on Nigerians in some Arab countries, and the unfortunate situation they subject them to.

While she commended NAPTIP for its good work and synergy with relevant agencies, she called for more funding for NAPTIP, an agency saddled with the responsibility to fight human trafficking in the country. 

“As it stands today, we have over 20, 000 Nigerian girls living in tents in Mali, an African country. Over 40, 000 girls in Lebanon”, she said.

She pledged the 9th Assembly’s commitment to a total fight against human trafficking offenders in Nigeria , by enacting stricter laws against them.

“We have a responsive 9th Assembly, under Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila which is putting in place right laws that would guide against this incessant occurrences” she said.

She however noted that relevant agencies in collaboration with the Nigeria Police must press charges against traffickers which she believed will deter others.

She thanked the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIDCOM, NAPTIP and other relevant stakeholders who she said have been supportive in the efforts to stem the tide in trafficking of Nigerian girls to countries Nigeria has no bilateral relationship with.

Speaking on the delay of 35 Nigerians at the Ghanaian border, she said the proper arm of the executive has picked up the responsibility.

The federal lawmaker called for further collaboration among all relevant government agencies in rehabilitating the girls who she noted left the country for socio-economic reasons.

“The ugly situation in the country led Nigerians to these unsafe countries in search for greener pastures. However, they became victims and targets of attack in those countries Nigeria has no bilateral relationship with. This made them to come back home, most times, with nothing” she lamented.

 Akande-Sadipe however assured Nigerians that the returnee was properly screened by security agencies and health institutions to ascertain her status before she was released to her family.

In his words, the Comptroller, Nigeria Immigration Service at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Abdulahi Usman, advised Nigerians not to travel without proper guidance noting that Adunni’s case is one out of many cases of deception.

Recalling her ordeal in Oman, Adunni called on girls and young people not to rush out of the country in search of greener pastures without proper scrutiny of the agent involved