Human Trafficking: ECOWAS Commission Urges Journalists To Report With Caution

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has advised journalists covering human trafficking and irregular migration issues, to exercise caution in reporting them, so as not to jeopardise the lives and future of the victims.

Mr Olatunde Olayemi of the Human Security and Civil Society Division of the commission gave the advice at a training workshop organised for newsmen reporting the beat on Friday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)) reports that the training workshop was organised by Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) and International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

According to Olayemi, journalists covering human trafficking and irregular migration beat can jeopardise the life and future of victims of human trafficking if they fail to apply caution.

Olayemi stated that the commission was committed to the development of the region and would do everything within its reach to better the lives of the people.

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Mr Yohanna Gaja of IOM also urged journalists to maintain professionalism in the discharge of their duties, especially on migration-related matters.

According to him, the gap in the level of information available to members of the public has been identified as one of the key factors still aiding human trafficking in Nigeria.

Gaja called on the media to always play their role by ensuring that the right, adequate and efficient information on the new trend in human trafficking, get to the public.

Earlier, Mr Adaramola Emmanuel, NACTAL National President, said that the purpose of the training was to expose the media practitioners to the new trend on human trafficking and smuggling of migrant.

He said that the training was also to impact on journalists, the best way of reporting trafficking in person and smuggling of migrant.

According to Emmanuel, the training is funded by the European Union and ECOWAS and implemented by IOM and NACTAL. (NAN)