No fewer than 180 Catholic churches are to sensitise the public and pray against human trafficking to mark the 4th Annual International Day of Prayer and Awareness against trafficking in persons on Saturday.

The Vicar General, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Rt. Rev. Msgr. John Aniagwu, made this known during a news conference at St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Lagos.

The Bakhita Day is the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese nun, who as a child had the traumatic experience of being a victim of human trafficking.

The Day, celebrated every Feb. 8 worldwide, has the theme, ‘Together Against Human Trafficking’.

According to Aniagwu, hardly does any week pass without people reading or hearing news of some Nigerians, men and women, being repatriated from Libya, Italy and other parts of Europe.

“One is painfully aware that many Nigerians are being trafficked to other countries in the Middle East and Asia as well”.

“I invite you all to join us in celebrating Bakhita Day on Saturday, with special prayers and a vigil in all of our over 180 parishes in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos”.

“The prayer is aimed at putting a speedy end to the tragedy of human trafficking in our country and the world over,’’ he said.

He appreciated those agencies fighting against human trafficking, adding that Nigerians who were mercifully not victims of human trafficking should spare a thought for those who were.

“I appeal that we should also join forces with the agencies that are working to remove the scourge from the human landscape. That is one of the purposes that the yearly celebration of Bakhita Day is meant to serve; namely, to bring to our consciousness the enduring plight of human trafficking in our world,’’ he said.

Aniagwu said the news conference was one of the activities lined up for the celebration.

“We hope to reach our fellow Nigerians with this briefing that we all need to be fully awake to the enduring presence of the scourge of human trafficking among us”.

“All of our churches in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos will be offering special prayers tomorrow for divine intervention in the dire situation of human trafficking in our midst”.

“Later in the year, about the middle of the year, there will be a rally against human trafficking. Details of the rally will be announced in due course,’’ he said.

The vicar general said they were collaborating with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to make Nigerians fully aware and educated on the dangers of human trafficking. (NAN)