We want Gov. Oborevwori to work with us Deltans in Cote d’Ivoire

Chief David Ogbu is the Coordinator of Delta Community Union in Cote d’Ivoire. He is also the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Community in Cote d’Ivoire. He spoke to our correspondent, Chris Onokpegu on the influx of Nigerian girls especially those from Delta into Cote d’Ivoire. He said he wants Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to work with them in diaspora amongst other issues. Excerpts:

*Sir, we discovered that out of every 10 girls rescued, four are from Delta state, what do you think is responsible for it?
A lot of factors is actually responsible. We know that so many Delta girls are being trafficked into this country. We have more than 50,000 Deltans living in Cote d’Ivoire and out of this 50,000, close to 40,000 of them or more are young girls and women, who were trafficked for prostitution, slavery and others.

So it is really alarming! The number of Deltan people that are into this sex trade is really alarming, that is why we are calling on the Government of Delta State. Like what other states are doing, for instance, Benue State rehabilitates the girls. Whenever they found out that any of their indigenes are part of the girls that are being repatriated, either from Cote d’Ivoire or any part of West African countries, the State plays a proactive role, takes over, makes provisions for them including giving them stipends to take care of themselves.

We don’t just want to repatriate and leave the girls like that, that is why we are calling on the Government because they need to be rehabilitated. These girls are victims of circumstance. The economic situation in Nigeria, japa syndrome and so many other factors are responsible for the reason why the girls are actually being trafficked to this place. What Benue State is doing, Delta State can buy a leaf from it.

Apart from rehabilitating these girls, they also ensure they acquire skill, and for those who want to go back to school, they are given scholarships. Delta State with the enormous resources need to also be proactive with its indigenes. We are calling on the Governor of Delta State, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori for him to intervene in this situation because it is causing us serious embarrassment.

The case is becoming too shameful; an average of 10 Delta girls is trafficked on a weekly basis. Our hands are tied, we have spent so much repatriating these girls and the more you send them, the more another sets are coming. We have done all we can, we have counselled and repatriated so many of them but there is no follow-up from the State, so we want the government to support us in this fight. We want the government to help us to save lives because these girls are the future of tomorrow.

So, let us join hands together with all the government agencies and departments that are related to these problems. We are talking of Delta State chapter of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS Delta State Command, etc. I believe Delta State have all it takes, for its indigenes for them to be well catered for.

*From the government of former Governor James Ibori down to the last administration of Ifeanyi Okowa, we discovered that they had a deliberate programme for the youths in sports, skill acquisition and empowerment, etc, can we say the present government of Oborevwori is not concentrating on the youth hence the japa syndrome being experienced in Delta?
For me, I think the government is doing what he can do and is doing its best. I believe that there is no government that is not interested in its youth. I believe that the government of Sheriff is really interested in the youth because they know that the youths are the future of tomorrow.

So, we want the government to collaborate with us here in diaspora, especially with we, the Delta State Community in Cote d’Ivoire. They need to support us because we have been spending so much and also to be helping us to receive these girls, we want them to be more proactive, giving them skill acquisition, giving them education, making sure they are doing something meaningful so that they don’t return again.

Some of them do relocate to other West African countries after being repatriated from Cote d’Ivoire. So we are totally in support of any initiative that the government will be willing to undertake in order to help these young girls.

Many of them are victims and some of them are destitutes, some are sick, some are having all sorts of problems, so we are calling on our Governor to do something about the Nigerian girls that are being trafficked to Cote d’Ivoire and for them to help us so that Delta will not be like a lost tribe. We cannot leave everything for federal government.

This is the time for the State Government to collaborate and cooperate with us. We can’t do everything; we are using our money to do most of these things – we use our money to send them back to Nigeria, buy the drugs, some of them escaped without their belongings, and so we buy them clothes. So, let the government come to our aids.

*Recently, we interviewed a 13-year-old girl and she told us that she left school at JSS 3, what it means is that some of the girls are being trafficked right from school, what do you think the Delta State Government can do to put a stop to this?
Government of Delta State have a lot to do, they should be proactive by educating their indigenes. A lot of education and enlightenment need to be carried out by government. The School Authorities and Parents should be at alert because most of these human traffickers are heartless, they are just interested in making money.

They don’t care where they take these girls to, so the government has a lot to do in the area of education, safety and protection of the children. They also need to collaborate with agencies, parents and others. The people need to be well-informed about the activities of traffickers and the menace.

You are talking about 13-years old girl, we have seen girls of 10, 11 years old girls that were trafficked here. They have not even been deflowered, it is when they come here they begin to deflower the girls, this is to tell you that many of their parents are not aware.

Some of them, their parents are still searching for them, they don’t know that their child(ren) have been trafficked to other countries for prostitution. So parents have to be very careful and be interested where their children are because there are child predators everywhere and most of these people are hell-bent to destroy the lives of our young girls. The Government should educate the parents and let them know that human trafficking is real and it is a dangerous trade.

Many people have died, many Urhobo girls were murdered in recently. Some of them were taken into the forest; imagine taking a 12 or 13 years old girl into the forest, where she knows nobody, and this child will be deflowered. Then you will see some of them will be pregnant, they will abort it and in the process lose their lives.

The Madams virtually don’t care, we had a case of a woman that have more than 37 girls under her custody. Many of the girls are minors below the age of 12 years, so we are calling on the government of Delta State led by Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to please come to our aids. They need to come to our aids because the rate at which they are trafficking these girls into Cote d’Ivoire is becoming so alarming that the government of Cote d’Ivoire is worried.

Even if the Delta State Government wants to send a delegate to Cote d’Ivoire to come and see things for themselves, we are ready to receive them. We want to show them the kinds of risks our daughters are facing here and we want them to make provisions so that when these girls are rescued, we will be able to send them home.

*One of the girls we interviewed also claimed that she went into prostitution because she couldn’t continue with her study, would you advise the Delta State Government to declare free education for all, especially for girls, so that they can go to school?
For me, I believe education is the best option, no matter how expensive it is because somebody that is educated is far better than an ignorant mind. So, our government needs to invest more into the education of our young ones because education is the bedrock of a successful and happy society. If you want to minimize crime and all sorts vices in the society, then education is the way to go. You have to put education first. There is this saying that, “Education is the most potent legacy you can leave for a child.” So Delta State Government should invest more into education.

Delta is one of the richest states in Nigeria in terms of human, natural resources, Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, etc. It is one of the top four richest states in Nigeria. So Delta people especially those in crisis outside the shores of the country should not be left like sheep without shepherd. So please because of the future of these girls, our government should invest in education not just theoretical education but also skill acquisition and empowerment.

After learning skills like tailoring, hairdressing, computer applications, beads making and others, then you empower them with start-up kits like sewing machines, hair dressing machines, computers or laptops, etc.

This will go a long way to discourage these girls from falling into the hands of traffickers. Many of them were easily lured because they don’t have anything they were doing. Some of them claimed that they accepted to follow the traffickers because they do not have money, no job, no money to go to school hence they were ready to take up all sorts of risk to make ends meet.

*As the president of the Delta Community in Cote d’Ivoire, what plans do you have for your people?
Delta State Community has been existing for sometimes now. You know we have three major tribes – the Ibo, Yoruba and the Hausa communities, we are from the minority. We also have our own community as well. Delta Community has been existing for quite sometimes and we are doing well.

The Community has been empowering and supporting people including those who are just coming into country without prior knowledge of the environment. We just did our End of the Year party where all Deltans in Cote d’Ivoire assembled to appreciate the Almighty God for His provisions, protection and preservation; and it was crowned with winning and dining.

Finally, I want to commend the efforts of the President of the Nigerian Community in Cote d’Ivoire, Chief Michael Emeka Onwuchelu for his selfless service to humanity. The Nigerian Community executive in which I am the Public Relations Officer have achieved a lot.

So far, we have succeeded in rescuing and repatriating about 1,280 young girls back to Nigeria and reconcile them with their parents and family members. However, one of our major challenges is that we spend so much on monthly basis for payment of rent where the girls are kept before repatriation; feeding, clothing those who escaped without their belongings and movement of the girls from Abidjan to Nigeria.

Another challenge we face is that the victims refuse to divulge information about the traffickers due to the oaths they sworn before native doctors with their hairs, nails, blood and their underwears. They are afraid that if they reveal their secrets, the oath will kill them but thus far we have succeeded in prosecuting some of the traffickers while we are also trailing the others.

*Thank you for your attention
The pleasure is mine.