The Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, has warned youths against irregular migration, enumerating the inherent dangers associated with it.
Olawande gave the warning during a campaign and advocacy programme on the effects of irregular migration for youths in the Southern Zones held in Abeokuta on Friday.
The minister, represented by the Director in charge of Migration and Climate Change, Mrs Grace Lelea, said that migration, in its legal and regulated form, remains a natural part of human development.
He explained that irregular migration, which occurs outside legal frameworks and regulatory norms of countries, presents a significant risk to lives, communities, and national development.
The minister said that, sadly, a growing number of young people were driven into irregular migration due to factors such as conflicts, economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity, national disasters, and the unrealistic allure of opportunities abroad.
“It is a troubling phenomenon that our young people, driven by ambition, hope, and sometimes desperation, embark on deadly voyages across deserts and seas.
“Unfortunately, the Mediterranean sea has become a graveyard for many, and countless others fall victim to human trafficking, organ harvesting, and modern-day slavery,” he said.
Olawande stressed that the federal government remained committed to reversing the trend.
He said that the ministry, in collaboration with key MDAs and development partners, has rolled out several strategic empowerment and intervention programmes for youths.
