Makinde Unveils Plan to Empower 700 Returnees, Rural Youths Through Climate-Smart Agriculture, Vocational Skills -

Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has announced plans to empower over 700 rural and returning youths through the state’s Youth Empowerment and Reintegration Project (YERP), focusing on climate-smart agricultural programmes and vocational skills development to promote sustainable livelihoods.

The Governor disclosed this at a symposium held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, with the theme: “Stronger Futures: Survivor-Centred Reintegration and Cross-Border Policy Dialogues.”

Represented by the Special Adviser on Immigration and Homeland Security, Rtd. Assistant Controller General of Immigration, Segun Adegoke, Governor Makinde said the Oyo State Office on Migration and Homeland Security would collaborate with relevant agencies and development partners to implement the empowerment initiative.

He reiterated the commitment of his administration to building a reintegration framework that restores dignity, creates opportunities, and supports sustainable development for migrants and survivors of human trafficking.

Adegoke stated that the government would intensify advocacy campaigns, public awareness programmes, and stakeholder engagements aimed at discouraging irregular migration and educating residents on the dangers of unsafe migration.

He added that the state would continue to partner with organisations including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) to strengthen migration management and support systems.

The Governor also reaffirmed Oyo State’s zero tolerance for human trafficking, assuring that his administration would continue to strengthen the Oyo State Reintegration Committee and other stakeholders to provide coordinated assistance for returnees.

According to him, support services would include temporary shelter, psychosocial care, skills acquisition, economic empowerment, legal assistance, and sustainable reintegration into the society.

Earlier, the convener of the symposium and Senior Lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, Dr. Sarah Adeyinka, commended the Oyo State Government for its commitment to combating human trafficking and supporting survivors.

She explained that the initiative was designed to help returnees recover from traumatic experiences and rebuild their lives through collaborative interventions involving government agencies and development partners.

Meanwhile, the Oyo State Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr. Kayode Alfred, praised the state government’s partnership with the agency and other stakeholders in tackling human trafficking.

Alfred urged Nigerians to remain vigilant when dealing with strangers, especially on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, warning that traffickers often pose as recruiters offering fake jobs, scholarships, and travel opportunities to deceive unsuspecting victims.