NAPTIP to clamp down on fake football academy

The National Agency for the Prohibition in Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP) has said that it would clamp down on fake football academy which fronts as agents to traffic young unsuspecting boys to Europe under the guise of making them football stars. The Director General of NAPTIP, Julie OkahDonli, lamented that the exploitation of young boys is on the increase.

Speaking when a team from Devatop centre for Africa Development led by Arinze Egemonye paid her a courtesy visit, the NAPTIP boss said boys were being raped and molested, “unfortunately they do not report such crimes because of stigmatization”.

Donli noted that activities of some fake football organizations have come to the limelight.

“We need to create awareness on trafficking, because it has taken a dangerous dimension. Some of the victims are kidnapped and their organs harvested and left to die.

“On July 27, we are going to launch our awareness campaign commencing with a public lecture, followed by various activities all to create awareness,” she said.

Earlier, the onetime Nigerian football coach and now an Anti trafficking Ambassador to Devatop Centre for Africa Development John Fashanu explained that many so-called big clubs in Europe were part of the conspiracy to exploit people in Africa.

Fashanu said some of these young boys scouted for football after their arrival in Europe were raped by some unknown men in collaboration with coaches. “Recently, seven boys came to Europe but we could not trace them. One of them escaped and called me and narrated how he had been lied to and raped severally, so we need to do something urgently about this.

“13 ex-coaches were arrested in London for child trafficking, so it means it is going on all over the world,” he said. Mr Arinze Egemonye of Devatop Centre for Africa Development said plans were on to commence a film series that will show case the experiences of victims of trafficking.

He added that they would like to collaborate with NAPTIP, to strengthen their volunteer system, especially at the grass roots.