Edo state has over 50 per cent cases of human trafficking, making it the highest affected state in the federation, State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, disclosed this Monday.
According to her, a total of 4,943 returnees, made up of 3,329 male, 1,400 female and 214 children were repatraitrated to the State.
She further disclosed that majority of those trafficked were from Uhumwode, Orhionmwon and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas, all in Edo South Senatorial District.
Omorogbe, who is also Chairperson, Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking (ETAHT), disclosed that over N300 million was spent between 2017 and 2019 to pay stipends and loans to indigenes of the State who were repatriated from Libya.
The Commissioner, who said some returnees received as much as N700,000 each, added that each of the returnee also received the sum of N60,000 from the state government as well as cash from the International Organization of Migration (IOM).
While commending the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), for adopting the state government towards fighting irregular migration, Omorogbo disclosed that the agency was currently handling 12 cases in court, buy that nobody had been convicted.
