FG Cautions Youths Against Irregular Migration, Highlights Deadly Risks

The Federal Government has urged Nigerian youths to shun irregular migration, warning that it exposes them to grave dangers, including death, human trafficking, and modern-day slavery.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, issued the caution on Friday during a campaign and advocacy programme on the dangers of irregular migration for youths in the Southern Zones, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Represented by the ministry’s Director of Migration and Climate Change, Mrs. Grace Lelea, Olawande explained that while legal migration remains a natural part of human development, irregular migration undermines personal safety and national progress.

He listed insecurity, unemployment, conflicts, economic hardship, natural disasters, and the lure of opportunities abroad as major drivers of the trend.

“It is a troubling phenomenon that our young people, driven by ambition and desperation, embark on deadly voyages across deserts and seas. The Mediterranean has become a graveyard for many, while others fall victim to trafficking, organ harvesting, and slavery,” he said.

The minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to reversing the trend, noting that the ministry, in partnership with key MDAs and development partners, has rolled out empowerment initiatives to equip youths with the skills and resources needed for sustainable livelihoods.

“Youths remain the greatest asset of any nation. Government cannot do it alone, youth development is a shared responsibility,” Olawande stressed.

Ogun State Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Wasiu Isiaka, represented by Permanent Secretary Lanre Ogunyinka, applauded the federal government’s efforts and said the state would continue to discourage irregular migration through youth-focused programmes.

Also speaking, Mrs. Abosede Jimoh, a representative of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), urged young Nigerians to use legal channels when traveling and ensure they understand their destination before embarking on journeys.