'How Traffickers Plan to Use 2018 World Cup to Move Youths to Russia'

Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Julie Okah-Donli, has alerted the general public on the activities of traffickers ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup scheduled to take place in Russia next month, saying human traffickers plan to use the upcoming World Cup to traffic Nigerian youths. 

Okah-Donli said part of the plot was to float unregistered football supporters club, unofficial government delegation, as well as unregistered youth bodies. 

 

“Already these traffickers have continued to mount pressure on some youths and their parents forcing them to part with huge sums of money in exchange for Russian visa," she said. 

She warned parents to beware of persons coming to them to give out their children to be taken abroad within this period.

"Russia is a country with high incidence of human trafficking and many Nigerian victims of human trafficking are held up there, and now seeking assistance to return home.

 "Stories from victims of human trafficking rescued by NAPTIP from Russia in the past are full of pains and agonies, with few of such victims permanently incapacitated for the rest of their lives," Okah-Donli said.  

● NAN