National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, has urged the Oba Of Lagos to abrogate the administration of oaths on victims trafficking.

According to its Director-General, Julie Okah-Donli, oath taken played major role in Human trafficking in Nigeria, stressing that only traditional rulers would be able to stop such.

Okah-Donli made the plea during her advocacy visit to the monarch in his palace, saying the visit to the Oba was in recognition of the important roles he played in the affairs of the state.

She said the effort of the Oba Of Benin in mobilising traditional priests to reounced such oaths, stressing that many victims were set free and some traffickers arrested.

Okah-Donli said she wanted the Oba Of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu to do same like the Benin monarch, stressing that Lagos was a endemic in human trafficking.

According to her, the agency had partnered with the Oba Of Benin, Paramount Ruler of Edo, to stop the administration of Oaths on Secrecy by traditional priests on victims of trafficking, saying almost all the states in Nigeria were affected by migration and human trafficking, but Lagos State was part of the most endemic.

She said “7.09 per cent of victims rescued by the agency from inception were from Lagos State with 839 out of 11,839,”.

Okah-Donli said other areas of collaboration with the royal father include sensitisation, donation of land for victims’ shelter, checkmating all illegality routes used by traffickers amongst others.

United Nations Officer on Drug and Crime, Oliver Stone, said human trafficking was a heinous crime that should be fought by all including traditional rulers.

He urged the royal father in Lagos to support the agency in the fight against human trafficking by carrying out sensitisation on his subjects

The White Cap Chiefs were the ones that received the agency team as the delegation was told that the royal father was indisposed.

Leader of the Chiefs, Chief Lateef Ajose said the message of the agency would be presented to the monarch as they assured the agency of the palace support.

Earlier, the agency team had carried out same advocacy visit to Epe Grammar School Epe, where the senior students were addressed by the Director General.