The Federal Government has cautioned Nigerian youths against embarking on irregular migration, warning that the consequences remain deadly and far-reaching.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, gave the warning on Friday in Abeokuta during a campaign and advocacy programme for youths in the Southern zones.

Represented by the Director in charge of Migration and Climate Change, Mrs. Grace Lelea, Olawande noted that while migration remains a natural and legal process, irregular migration poses grave risks to individuals, families, and national development.

He lamented that a rising number of Nigerian youths were lured into dangerous journeys by economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity, natural disasters, and the false promise 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. Sadly, the Mediterranean has become a graveyard for many, while others fall victim to human trafficking, organ harvesting and modern-day slavery,” he said.

Olawande stressed that government remained committed to addressing the menace, adding that the ministry had rolled out empowerment and intervention programmes in collaboration with relevant agencies and partners.

Describing the youth as the nation’s greatest asset, he said: “No government effort can succeed in isolation. Youth development is a shared responsibility. We must work together to build an environment that nurtures the dreams and aspirations of our young people.”

Ogun State Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Wasiu Isiaka, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Lanre Ogunyinka, commended the Federal Government for the campaign, noting that the state remained committed to discouraging irregular migration through empowerment initiatives under Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Also speaking, Mrs. Abosede Jimoh of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) warned that youths were the worst affected by irregular migration.

She advised: “People should pass through the right channels while travelling and ensure they have proper knowledge of their destinations before setting out.”