NAPTIP, ICMPD train Benue subject teachers on Mainstreamed TIP Content in the Revised National Curriculum, as state tops human trafficking index

By Benedicta Aboh

Benue State has again emerged as the state with the highest number of human trafficking victims and rescued persons in Nigeria, according to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

The Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, disclosed the disturbing statistics during a two-day training workshop organized for subject teachers in Makurdi.

The workshop focused on the mainstreaming of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) content in the revised national curriculum under the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP).

The STEAP initiative is implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in collaboration with NAPTIP and funded by the Government of the Netherlands.

Represented by the agency’s Director of Intelligence (Research and Programme Development), Mr. Josiah Emerole, the NAPTIP DG said the workshop seeks to deepen awareness on trafficking issues across Nigerian schools.

“Part of our job as NAPTIP is to prevent human trafficking from happening,” she said. “But it is impossible and not cost-effective for us to go from house to house creating awareness, which is why we embedded trafficking issues in school policies and curriculum.”

She described the school-based approach as one of the agency’s most impactful interventions in recent years.

According to her, Benue has become a critical focus due to its rising vulnerability within national trafficking trends.

“Benue State is very critical for us in this fight,” Bello stressed. “Unfortunately, in the last few years, Benue State is at the apex. It is topping all states in the number of victims of trafficking that have been rescued.”

She urged teachers and stakeholders to deploy the training to reverse the trend, saying: “Your presence here is to support the state in changing that narrative.”

Project Manager, ICMPD School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP) Mrs. Rhoda Dia-Johnson represented by the Project Officer, STEAP/ICMPD Abuja, Mr. Favour Simeon said teachers are key players in closing the gaps exploited by traffickers.

“One of our key deliverables is ensuring teachers get this training,” she said. “Across the five STEAP states, Benue is a priority, and this is the first of two batches of training.”

She warned that traffickers increasingly target schools and therefore teachers must be equipped to identify red flags.

“At the end of this event, we expect teachers to be fully knowledgeable on how to support this fight through curriculum delivery and classroom engagement,” she added.

Benue State Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr. Margaret Adamu, represented by the Director of Science and Technology, Dooshima Awai, noted that the training targets teachers handling subjects where trafficking issues are embedded.

“These teachers cover National Values at the basic level, Civic Education, and Government at the senior secondary level,” she explained.

According to her, the programme has already trained over 1,000 persons on human trafficking and violence against persons since inception.

“We commend ICMPD for its sustained support. And to NAPTIP, no words can quantify our appreciation for training our parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders,” she said.

Dr. Adamu attributed the high rate of trafficking in Benue to persistent insecurity across rural communities.

“Benue State is vulnerable due to the security challenges we face,” she stated. “Many people are displaced and exposed, making the state fertile ground for traffickers. But together, we shall say no to human trafficking.”

Also speaking, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Prof. Yaningen Ornguga, hailed the integration of anti-trafficking content in the school curriculum.

“Human trafficking undermines our values and destroys lives,” he warned. “It robs our youths of their future, and we must respond through awareness, capacity building, and preventive knowledge.”

He described the training as a significant step in equipping educators, administrators, and the media with the tools needed to tackle trafficking.

“This aligns with our commitment to justice, public order and protection of the rights and dignity of citizens,” he added.

Zonal Commander of NAPTIP Makurdi, Mrs. Gloria Bai, offered an overview of the trafficking cycle, emphasising that exploitation remains the core purpose.

“Exploitation can take various forms, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, labour exploitation, begging, organ harvesting, child sale and baby sale,” she noted.

Participants drawn from schools across the state were trained on indicators of trafficking, preventive tips, reporting mechanisms and how to cascade knowledge within their communities.

Enoch Ayem, Disciplinary Chairman of Royal Secondary School, Buruku, praised the initiative and pledged to extend the awareness to both students and community members.

Similarly, Franca Ijuo of Community Secondary School, Makurdi, commended NAPTIP and ICMPD for “taking the fight to the schools where the children who are the primary targets are.”

Both participants affirmed that the knowledge acquired would be used to mobilize students, parents, and local communities to resist trafficking networks.

They reiterated their commitment to helping Benue State shed its unwanted status as Nigeria’s trafficking hotspot.