Oyo Governor Plans Rehabilitation for Victims of Modern Slavery Returning Home

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has announced plans to train 700 youths in agribusiness as part of a comprehensive support system to strengthen the reintegration of migrant returnees, including survivors of human trafficking.

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This initiative aims to restore dignity to returnees, create sustainable livelihoods, and address the socio-economic factors driving irregular migration and human trafficking, according to the governor.

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Makinde, represented by his Special Adviser on Migration and Homeland Security, ACG Segun Adegoke (retd.), disclosed this at the “Stronger Futures: Survivor-Centred Reintegration and Cross-Border Policy Dialogues” held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.

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The governor presented a paper titled “From Research to Practice: Government Perspectives on Reintegration in Oyo,” reaffirming his administration’s commitment to collaborating with federal institutions, international partners, relevant stakeholders, and local communities to build a reintegration system that restores dignity, creates opportunities, and promotes sustainable development.

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The Oyo State Government remains committed to combating human trafficking through sustained advocacy, public sensitisation and stakeholder engagements aimed at discouraging irregular migration, Makinde explained.

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The Office of Migration and Homeland Security, in partnership with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and other development partners, is implementing the Youth Empowerment and Reintegration Project (YERP) to empower 700 rural and returning youths.

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The programme will promote climate-smart agriculture, skills development, access to land, and sustainable livelihoods by allocating 10,000 hectares of farmland to young farmers across the state, through the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture, according to Makinde.

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The intervention is designed to tackle youth unemployment, one of the major drivers of irregular migration, while providing psychosocial support and economic opportunities to reduce the desperation fuelling unsafe migration and to protect survivors from re-trafficking.

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Makinde stated that the true measure of migration governance lies not only in securing borders but in restoring hope, dignity and opportunities for returnees, especially survivors of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

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His administration has continued to implement awareness, prevention and reintegration initiatives in line with the reviewed National Migration Policy 2025 and the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, while strengthening partnerships that promote safe migration and protect vulnerable citizens.

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The governor assured that his administration would continue to strengthen the Oyo State Reintegration Committee and other critical stakeholders as part of Nigeria’s migration governance architecture to provide coordinated support for returnees, including temporary shelter, socio-economic reintegration, skills acquisition, psychosocial care, empowerment and legal assistance.

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Makinde urged residents of the state to pursue legitimate channels for employment abroad rather than exposing themselves to the dangers of irregular migration across the desert.

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Dr Sarah Adeyinka, the convener of the programme and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, commended the Oyo State Government for its sustained efforts to combat human trafficking and reintegrate survivors into society.

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Adeyinka said the programme was designed to support returnees in recovering from their traumatic experiences through collaboration with the state government and other stakeholders.

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She also urged parents, guardians and individuals to closely monitor their children and wards and discourage them from embarking on unauthorised travel or falling victim to fraudulent overseas job offers.

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The Oyo State Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Kayode Alfred, praised the Oyo State Government for demonstrating strong commitment through its partnership with the agency and other stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking.

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Alfred stressed that human trafficking is not limited to international migration but also occurs within Nigeria, noting that individuals can be trafficked from one state to another for exploitation as a result of ignorance, deception and desperation.

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He urged Nigerians to exercise caution when dealing with strangers, especially those encountered online, warning that traffickers use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to lure unsuspecting victims with fake job offers, scholarships and travel opportunities.

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Some migrant returnees, who spoke anonymously, shared their experiences and appealed to the Oyo State Government for greater financial and psychosocial support to enable them to rebuild their lives and reintegrate successfully into society.