Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking (ETAHT) and the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Prof. Yinka Omoregbe, yesterday disclosed that the state has received a total of 4,943 Libya returnees from 2017 till date.
She also said the government has spent over N300 million for their upkeep and other sundry logistics in the period under review.
Omoregbe disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Benin Benin City on the activities of the task force within its two years of existence.
She explained that the successes recorded so far by the state government under her leadership has corrected the earlier wrong impression held by the international community on the state, adding that she was proud to be part of the success stories.
“Our efforts in Edo have been acknowledged internationally. If you look at the trafficking in persons before 2019, you will see that copious references are made to Edo State and there is no doubt that this is one reason why Edo State in that report was actually upgraded because they saw our great efforts and they saw the different things being done in the state.
“This is definitely a landmark achievement of this government and we are happy to be part of it.
“Now, the state has so far looked after nearly 5000 returnees and will continue to do that but that number today, is 4,943 returnees that have been received from Libya and these returnees are apart from those ones that come to us outside the plane loads that came in from Libya as a result of their assisted flights by the International Office Migration.