Illegal migration: ‘7000 Nigerians vanished in desert in 2016’

No fewer than 7000 Nigerians who embarked on illegal migration to Europe vanished in the desert in 2016.

The President of PanAfrican Institute for Global Affairs and Strategy, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, said this while sensitizing batch ‘A’ stream 2 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) against illegal migration at the Permanent Orientation camp, Wamakko.

“Those who constituted 68 percent of the figure were graduates who were looking for greener pastures in the foreign lands, which was not realistic as those who got there ended up as sex slaves and ready tools for all forms of social vices,” he said.

Uhomoibhi described such trips as suicidal, adding that the recent ‘Not too young to run’ Act should be a window for the youths to struggle for power and position in their own country.

He maintained that Nigeria had all the potentialities needed to become productive nation urged youths to tap opportunities.

“Don’t let anybody destroy your lives. Any nation has its peculiar history and challenges. Change your destiny as it’s in your hands, ’’Uhomaibhi told the youths, challenging them on increased patriotism instead a and the of ‘sentimental agitations.’

Speaking also, the state Coordinator of the NYSC, Alhaji Musa Abubakar, described illegal migration as detrimental to human development, and cautioned the youths against being misled and advised them to focus their attention on proactive ways of contributing to nation building.