UROME – The Uromi Justice Development, Peace and Caritas Initiatives (JDPCI) has once again emphasized the need for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to combat child trafficking and uphold the dignity of the human person.
The Executive Director of Uromi JDPCI, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Fidelis Arhedo, made the call during the closeout meeting of the Act Against Child Trafficking in Nigeria (AACTING) Project and the commemoration of the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, held in Uromi, Edo State.
Fr. Arhedo described human trafficking as not only a crime against humanity but also a grave sin against God because it violates the sacred dignity bestowed on every human life.
He stressed that no child or adult should ever be treated as a commodity to be bought, sold, or exploited, noting that protecting the dignity of the human person is a shared responsibility that requires the commitment of all stakeholders, not just one institution.
According to him, the event marked the successful completion of a three-year intervention that has significantly strengthened efforts to combat child trafficking in Edo Central Senatorial District.
He expressed appreciation to the implementing partners, ECPAT France and Luxembourg, and the donor agency, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), for the confidence reposed in Uromi JDPCI throughout the implementation of the AACTING Project, which ran from August 2023 to July 2026.
The Executive Director also commended the contributions of government institutions, law enforcement agencies, traditional and religious leaders, schools, community structures, civil society organisations, the media, parents, caregivers, and other partners for working together to strengthen the child protection system during the project period.
Speaking on the theme of the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, “Trapped Behind the Scam,” Fr. Arhedo said the theme draws attention to an emerging and rapidly growing form of human trafficking that many people fail to recognize.
He explained that the campaign focuses on trafficking for forced criminality, particularly through online scam operations.
“We must therefore recognize these emerging forms of exploitation and strengthen prevention efforts through sustained public awareness, one of which we are promoting today,” he said.
In his presentation, the Director of Programmes at Uromi JDPCI, Dr. Michael Iyoriobe, said the AACTING Project made significant contributions to strengthening the child protection system and reducing the vulnerability of children to trafficking across Edo Central Senatorial District.
He recommended the institutionalisation of Community Child Protection Groups within Local Government child protection systems and the sustenance of Child Champion Clubs in schools through stronger collaboration with the education sector.
In their goodwill messages, Pentecostal Archbishop Dr. Anthony Okosun and High Chief Hilary Ekhoye commended Uromi JDPCI for its sustained fight against child trafficking, noting that the organisation’s interventions have contributed to reducing trafficking in Edo Central while increasing public awareness of the menace.
Highlights of the event included a minute of silence in honour of the late Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin, Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Obiora Akubeze, and the late Head of the Department of Social Development, Esan North-East Local Government Council, Mr. Sunday Musa Akahomen. Participants also signed a Commitment Board, reaffirming their resolve to continue the fight against child trafficking.
