By Ifeoma Aka
The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) organised a two-day capacity-building workshop for teachers in Enugu State on the newly approved National Curriculum integrating Trafficking in Persons (TIP) education.
Funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented with National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the training brought together teachers from selected schools to strengthen early prevention of human trafficking among children.
In her opening remarks, Head of ICMPD Nigeria Office, Ms. Isabelle Wolfsgruber, described human trafficking as one of the most alarming threats confronting children in Nigeria.
She noted that more than 75 per cent of trafficking victims in West Africa were children, emphasising the urgency of embedding prevention strategies within the school system.
Wolfsgruber explained that the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP) equipped teachers to identify risks, recognise warning signs, and adopt safety strategies to protect children.
“The training aims to enhance teacher capacity, improve practical application of TIP content, deepen awareness on prevention and response, and establish a network of Anti-Trafficking Champions within schools.”
She stressed that the initiative’s impact extended beyond classrooms, as trained teachers became child protection advocates, contributing to safer schools and more resilient communities.
Wolfsgruber thanked the Enugu State Ministry of Education, NAPTIP, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, highlighting their shared commitment to safeguarding Nigerian children.
Declaring the workshop open, NAPTIP Director General, Dr Binta Bello, described human trafficking as one of Nigeria’s gravest human rights violations, noting that 55 per cent of victims were children.
Represented by Mrs Ebele Ulasi, Bello lamented those children, who should be in safe learning environments, were instead exploited and abused by traffickers.
She said that integrating anti-trafficking content into schools began over a decade ago, with partnerships across agencies finally making it a reality.
“The goal is to develop a lasting tool that equips children and young people, especially those in traffickers’ target age brackets, with knowledge to protect themselves,” Bello said.
She added that teaching TIP themes in Primary and Secondary Schools ensured children were empowered early, making prevention education an essential part of the curriculum.
The workshop held across five STEAP states, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Benue, and Ogun, equipped teachers with methodologies, pedagogical tools, and age-appropriate approaches to deliver TIP content effectively.
Mr Caroline Avah, Director of Review, Enugu State Ministry of Justice, noted that the state government partners with ICMPD to tackle human trafficking, ensuring suspected traffickers were arrested and prosecuted under state law.
In an interview, Mr Patrick Ochie of the Ministry of Education affirmed that the state government was committed to safeguarding school children against traffickers through education and preventive measures. (NAN)(www.nannews..ng)