Human Trafficking: Makinde Reaffirms Commitment To Build Reintegration System For Immigrants Returnees

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Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has reaffirmed his administration commitment to working with federal institutions, international partners, relevant stakeholders and communities to build a reintegration system that restores dignity, creates opportunities, and advances sustainable development.

The governor, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Immigrant and Homeland Security, ACG Segun Adegoke (rtd), stated this on Saturday at an event tagged: “Stronger Futures: Survivours-centered reintegration and cross border policy dialogues” held at IITA, Ibadan.

Speaking on a paper titled, ” From research to practice: Government perspectives on reintegration in Oyo”, he noted that the Oyo state government is against human trafficking and that the government has embarked on advocacy, sensitization and dialogues to discourage people from traveling out of the country illegally.

Makinde explained that the office of the Migration and Homeland Security has collaborated with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), and other partners through the Youth Empowerment and Reintegration Project (YERP), to empower 700 rural and returning youths by promoting climate-smart agriculture, skills development, access to land, and sustainable livelihoods through the allocation of 10,000 hectares of land by the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture for young farmers in Oyo State, to address youth unemployment, tackles one of the major drivers of irregular migration and also provide psychosocial support, and economic opportunities, so as to reduce the desperation that fuels irregular migration while protecting survivors from re-trafficking.

He stressed that the true measure of migration governance lies not only in securing borders but in restoring hope, dignity, and opportunities for returnees, especially survivors of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

He added that his government has continued to implement awareness, prevention, and reintegration initiatives aligned with the reviewed National Migration Policy, 2025 and the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, orderly and regular migration while strengthening partnerships that promote safe migration and protect vulnerable citizens.

The governor assured that his government remain committed to strengthening Oyo State Reintegration Committee and other critical stakeholders as a component of Nigeria’s migration governance architecture to provide coordinated support for returnees, including temporary shelter, socio-economic reintegration, skills acquisition, psychosocial care, empowerment, and legal assistance.

He advised Indigenes of the state to always follow the right channels for job opportunities in foreign countries rather than rather than exposing themselves through the desert.

Earlier in her presentation, the convener of the programme, Dr Sarah Adeyinka, a senior lecturer from the University of Amsterdam commended the Oyo state government for its efforts to combat the menace of human trafficking and reintegrating the survivors into the society with supports from the state government.

She explained that the programme aimed at supporting the returnees to encourage them to recover from their traumatic experiences in collaboration with the Oyo state government.

She urged parents, guardians and individuals to monitor their wards and discourage them from embarking on unauthorized traveling and job hunting opportunities which are always not true.

Also speaking, the Oyo State Commandant, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Mr Kayode Alfred commended the Oyo state government for demonstrating a strong commitment and partnership with the agency and relevant stakeholders in combating human trafficking.

Alfred explained further that, human trafficking is not limited to international migration, but also occurs within Nigeria, stressing that an individual can be trafficked from one state to another for exploitation as a result of ignorance, deception and desperation.

He urged Nigerians to be extremely cautious when dealing with strangers, especially those they meet online noting that human traffickers actively operate on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, pretending to offer jobs, scholarships or travel opportunities to their victims.

Some of the immigrants returnees who spoke on anonymity shared their experiences of mixed feelings appealed to the state government for financial and psycho support for them to reintegrate into the society.