Riyom, Plateau State – May 22, 2025 – A town hall meeting aimed at combating human trafficking was held on Thursday at the Riyom Local Government Secretariat. The event, organized by the Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS), brought together key stakeholders, survivors, and community leaders to raise awareness and promote support services for victims.
With the theme “Human Trafficking Awareness and Support Services,” the meeting was organized in collaboration with Women for Women International and featured representatives from the Ministry of Women Affairs, Social Welfare Department, Plateau State Police Command, Ministry of Justice, National Human Rights Commission, FIDA, and other relevant bodies.
CWEENS Program Manager, Dirmicit B. Pyentam, emphasized the urgent need to address child trafficking in Plateau communities, especially Riyom, Bassa, and Langtang. “We’ve rescued several children over the past year, rehabilitating them in our safe house. This town hall is to create awareness and develop community-based strategies for prevention and response,” she said. Pyentam urged community members to speak out against trafficking and avoid shielding perpetrators.
Riyom Local Government Secretary, Chief Abraham Tongji, described the meeting as timely and crucial. “Child trafficking has become rampant in our area. I commend CWEENS for championing this cause. We will ensure that the messages from this engagement reach every corner of our communities,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Wife of the Council Chairman, Deborah Sati Shuwa, expressed gratitude for the intervention. “As a mother, I’ve faced the challenge of child trafficking firsthand. Earlier this year alone, 19 cases emerged in our community. This awareness is critical,” she noted, pledging to take decisive steps moving forward.
Voice for the Girl Child Foundation founder and gender advocate, Mildred Bako, stressed the role of the justice system in curbing trafficking. “Until perpetrators are prosecuted and punished, we won’t make meaningful progress. Everyone must take responsibility—when you see something, say something,” she urged.
Gyang Gere, community leader and representative of Da Gwom Rwai Riyom, reiterated the community’s commitment to ending the scourge. “Riyom is among the local governments affected. We must now use this knowledge to enlighten our people on the legal and social consequences of trafficking,” he said.
From the legislative arm, Hon. Noro Davou, Councillor representing Tacus Ward, commended the initiative, stressing the need for grassroots engagement. “The participants here today are community influencers. When we return, we will hold sensitization campaigns in churches and marketplaces, ensuring violators are exposed and punished,” he stated.
CWEENS, an NGO founded in 2010, operates across 14 states and the FCT. The organization runs a safe house and manages a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Observatory in Plateau State, facilitating the reporting and response to gender-based violence cases.
The Riyom town hall meeting marks another strategic effort by CWEENS and its partners to tackle human trafficking through grassroots engagement, survivor support, and stakeholder collaboration.
