The Most Dangerous Words I Heard on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

In the early hours of July 29, as part of the commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, I joined fellow members of the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) for a community sensitization outreach at Oja Oba Market in Ikere-Ekiti, Nigeria.

Our mission was simple but urgent: to educate market men and women about human trafficking—how traffickers operate, the deceptive methods they use, and the false promises of jobs, education, marriage, and a better life that lure vulnerable people into exploitation.

As we moved from one trader to another, sharing information that could save lives, I encountered two conversations that I cannot forget.

The first was with a man who told me about an 11-year-old girl who had been impregnated by an elderly man. My heart broke. A child should be dreaming about school, friendships, and a bright future—not becoming another victim of abuse. Stories like hers remind me why prevention matters just as much as rescue.

Then came another conversation that left me speechless.

A woman looked at us and said, "Nobody needs to traffic me. I will go with the trafficker myself."

I stood there in shock.

For a moment, I realized that trafficking is not always driven by force. Sometimes it is driven by desperation. Poverty, hunger, unemployment, and hopelessness can become the trafficker's greatest weapons. When people lose hope, dangerous offers begin to look like opportunities.

That single statement changed the way I think about anti-trafficking work.

It reminded me that awareness alone is not enough. We must also address the conditions that make people vulnerable in the first place. We must create opportunities, strengthen families, educate our communities, and protect children before traffickers reach them.

Every conversation we had that evening mattered. Every myth we corrected mattered. Every person who walked away understanding the tricks traffickers use is one more person who may recognize danger before it is too late.

Human trafficking thrives in silence, ignorance, and desperation. It loses its power when communities are informed, united, and willing to protect one another.

As an advocate and Executive Director of Lush Foundation for Sustainable Development, I remain committed to raising awareness, protecting children, and empowering young people with knowledge and opportunities that reduce their vulnerability to exploitation.

On the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, I am reminded that changing the world sometimes begins with a single conversation in a local market.

Because when people know better, they can choose differently.

And together, we can build communities where traffickers no longer find easy victims.