The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has attributed the growing rate of migration and human trafficking in Nigeria to years of economic hardship.
Speaking on Monday, the 27th of October, 2025, at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja during the public unveiling of Vicious Red Circle, a novel written by Ambassador Alex Ugochukwu Oriaku, Yilwatda said the country’s persistent economic decline had left many Nigerians vulnerable to exploitation.
“Our economic decay over four decades created fertile ground for exploitation. When industries collapsed and hope disappeared, migration and trafficking surged,” he said.
Reflecting on his tenure as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Chairman of the African-European Migration and Development Team, Yilwatda explained that the crisis stemmed from deep-rooted economic problems that had spanned generations.
He urged collective action against human trafficking, calling on both government and non-governmental bodies to focus on community-driven efforts that empower citizens and prevent exploitation.
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“We can stop this cycle. This book challenges us to do so. It must not remain on your shelf, let it remain in your heart,” he said.
Ambassador Oriaku, in his remarks, described human trafficking as “a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle of exploitation, vulnerability, and silence,” emphasizing that his book was intended to inspire real action, not just tell a story.
The event, chaired by Yilwatda, drew lawmakers, agency heads, and development partners, all of whom called for stronger cooperation and sustained efforts to end human trafficking across the country.