Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Prof Joy Ezeilo, has called on government at all levels to establish early warning mechanisms to stop the pervasive and cross-border issue of human trafficking or trafficking in persons in Nigeria.

Ezeilo, Executive Director Women Aid Collective and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), stated this in a statement on Saturday issued in Enugu, in reaction to the trending video of young Nigerian girls, mainly from Imo state, trafficked for forced prostitution to neighbouring Ghana.

She said establishing the early warning system would identify when girls disappear from school, fail to enroll in school, or live outside of family care, urging government at all levels to implement urgent measures to address the root causes, with a view to reduce the vulnerabilities of young girls.

“Watching the trending video of young Nigerian girls, mainly from Imo state, trafficked for forced prostitution to neighbouring Ghana is a stark reminder of the pervasive and cross-border issue of human trafficking or trafficking in persons,” she stated.

Ezeilo, revealed that from 2008 to 2014, when she was UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, she encountered Nigerians who were trafficked or living as irregular migrants in nearly 100 countries she visited as part of her global assignment.