Ruth Okoirhon, Local Migration Expert has said among African countries, Nigeria and Gambia have the highest number of illegal migrants in European countries.
Okoirhon, who’s also the team lead of Migrant Project Nigeria made this known while speaking to youths between the ages of 16-30 at a one day symposium.
The symposium was organized by the Ifako Ijaiye local branch of National Youth Council of Nigeria in commemoration of the International Youth Day 2019 with the theme “Transforming Education for a Prosperous Career”.
Okoirhon advised the youths to desist from falling for promises by human trafficekrs who might want to lure them into irregular/illegal migration.
She also sensitized partcipants on how irregular/illegal migration could mean modern day slavery and warned them not to get involved in it. She explained the dangers women who embark on irregular migration encounter, the tricks of human traffickers and how best to make informed decisions and local opportunities.
Okoirhon stressed the need for the youths to maximize various opportunities at their disposal and ensure they adot legal means if their want to travel outside the country. They were also advised to avail themselves to Scholarship offers through purposeful preparation.
Media Officer, Migrant Project Nigeria, Enitan Ibironke said most people are never told about the truth before getting involved in illegal migration stressing that it is harzadous because they would be undocumented immigrants.
Ibironke explained that “the European countries are also putting in place adequate security to ensure illegal migrants do not have access to their countries because they are not adding value to the economy but rather milking them dry.”
She added that many people do not survive on the journey to the European Countries and advised the youths not to be involved in such.
The Executive Members of the National Youth Council commended the efforts of TMP in its campaign against irregular migration.