NATIONAL AGENCY FOR THE PROHIBITION OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS:
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
NAPTIP assures of sustained efforts to Protect Human Rights of Victims of Trafficking
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons says it would sustain efforts to protect Nigerians against human trafficking, violence against persons, and other forms of exploitation.
Director General of the Agency, Professor Fatima Waziri at a virtual meeting tagged “Conversation with NAPTIP” to Mark the Agency’s twentieth anniversary assured that NAPTIP would continue to expand its operational horizon through improved and enhanced partnership with all stakeholders as well as diligent prosecution of offenders, to outsmart criminal elements.
Professor Waziri who also cautioned desperate Nigerians against indiscriminate and irregular migration also known as “Japa” warned that desperation may lead to violation of human rights.
The NAPTIP Director General expressed displeasure over the likely hood of enslavement of migrant smugglers who are poised at preying on their ignorance and vulnerability with the attendance consequences of mindless exploitation.
The Director General rolled out some of the achievements of the Agency in the past 20 years to include the conviction of 624 traffickers, the rescue of over 22, 000 victims of trafficking, the national spread to 32 States across the Country, sponsoring 19 survivors through University Education, development of several counter–trafficking policies, engagement with diver stakeholders including the Justice sector through the National Judicial Institute (NJI) and global partnership with critical partners to counter the emerging trends in human trafficking.
Speaking on the dynamism of human trafficking in Nigeria Professor Waziri-Azi reiterated that human trafficking had assumed a national spread across the country with the emerging trends which had also led to the restrategization of the Agency nib in the bud, activities of pepretators.
“In the past 20 years, the crime of human trafficking has evolved in terms of trends and patterns. But, one thing I can say for sure is that Nigeria is better poised to tackle the issues of human trafficking”.
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