Libya slavery: Osinbajo meets NAPTIP, NEMA, others

In reaction to President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge in Abidjan that his administration would evacuate the remaining Nigerians stranded in Libya while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Wednesday evening convened a meeting of relevant agencies in Abuja to address the situation.
Those in attendance were the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Refugee Commission to the State House, Abuja for a joint review of the situation  to take a firm position on the matter.
In his opening remark before the meeting went into closed session, Osinbajo recalled the comment of the president at the interactive session with the Nigerian community in Abidjan, that all those who are stranded in the hostile country would be given an opportunity to return to the country.
He reiterated the commitment of Buhari’s administration to ensure that young Nigerian men and ladies are no longer exposed to the huge danger involved in wandering through the Sahara desert and eventual attempt to cross the sea.
Osinbajo who said it was necessary to sensitise young Nigerians with the danger involved in moves to cross the Mediterranean after being brainwashed by unscrupulous individuals, said it had become imperative for them to review the situation and take a position on how to halt the trend.
While recalling a CNN report that some of the victims are sold in Libya, Osinbajo said it was necessary to brainstorm on the matter to come up with a well prepared position on how to tackle the menace.
Most of the speakers at the opening of  the 5th European Union-African Union (EU-AU) Summit, condemned in strong terms the disturbing images coming out of Libya and urged both continents to work together to halt the ugly trend.
More than 5,000 participants are attending the summit which ends Thursday.
The delegates include 83 heads of states, representing 55 African and 28 European countries, as well as from the African Union and European Union Commissions, and a plethora of multilateral banks, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations.
The summit is focused on economic opportunity for young people, as well as climate change issues, followed by sessions on mobility and migration, and then peace and security.
|Sun