FG reiterates commitment to control human trafficking, protect rights of victims Newsdiaryonline

July 18, 2023 Mary

By Chimezie Godfrey

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to control human trafficking and build a safer and more inclusive society.

The Government also said it is committed to protecting the rights of victims of human trafficking in the country.

The Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)
Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi said this on Tuesday in Abuja during the “World Press Conference on the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of NAPTIP, and the 2023 World Day Against Human Trafficking,” with the theme,” A Shinning Legacy: NAPTIP @20 -Celebrating Partners and Honouring Excellence.”

Prof Waziri-Azi said the agency had witnessed 20 years of growth and reinvention in tremendous ways interns including the scaling of their efforts and expansion of their reach, operations, collaborations, and partnerships.

She said Nigeria would not have been able to achieve a sliver of what it had as a country without the concerted efforts of all stakeholders including the media.

She noted that in 20 years the crime of human trafficking has spread like wildfire in terms of the enormity, trends, and patterns, adding that it has not been easy fighting the networks but they have remained undaunted.

She reiterated the commitment of the federal government to control human trafficking in the country, and equally protect the rights of victims.

She said,” Only recently did the 2023 Global Slavery Index opine that globally, it is estimated that 50 million people were living in modern slavery on any day in 2021, an increase of 10 million people since 2016. What this narrative indicates is the urgent need for a more strategic and deliberate global response to these problems.

“One thing I can say though is that Nigeria is better poised to control and tackled human trafficking due to the collaborative efforts of everyone. The public is better informed about issues of human trafficking and this is due to the amplified visibility of NAPTIP. Nigerians have become their brother’s keepers, looking g out for one another and this has increased the reportage of issues of human trafficking and violence against persons (domestic and sexual violence).

“Sometimes when I reflect on how far we have evolved as a country in controlling the scourge of human trafficking, we are better and stronger. However, it may appear progress is not made because of the enormity of that we face as a country but I can categorically and unequivocally state that traction is been made.

“I urge us to seize this opportunity to reinforce our commitment to protect the rights of victims, control human trafficking, and build a safer, just, and inclusive society. As an agency, we will continue to carry out our mandate by way of transparency and accountability.”

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo ably represented by the Director of Humanitarian Affairs of the Ministry, Grama Aliyu Alhaji, said that the anniversary was a worthy celebration considering the laudable achievements NAPTIP has made in 20 years.

He said,” As the supervising Ministry of NAPTIP, it is a worthy celebration bearing in mind the extent of human trafficking issues we face as a country before the creation of NAPTIP and the laudable achievements it has garnered in 20 years.

“Foremost, the Ministry and the Management of NAPTIP wish to congratulate His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and His Excellency, Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, on the successful assumption of Office as President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, respectively.

“It is heartwarming to note that the Agency, which took off amidst several Technical and Operational Challenges in a small apartment tucked away somewhere in the Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory as its headquarters, has continued to grow exponentially.

“Some of the notable achievements of the Agency include awareness campaigns and sensitization strategically designed to educate people about human trafficking, its associated violence, and what drives it, especially at the sub-national levels through- community-centered awareness creation in partnership with traditional, religious, and community leaders; survivor’s advocacy campaigns; school campaigns as well as digital and traditional media campaigns.

“The establishment of secondary school vanguards, rolling out the Trafficking in person curricula in schools nationwide, Inclusion of Trafficking in person issues into the Minimum Standards of Colleges of Education in collaboration with the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), the establishment of a 24/7 Call Centre and Launch of the ‘627’ short code, are all mechanisms that the Agency has put in place to stem the tide of this heinous crime.”

Dr. Sani-Gwarzo also revealed that some of the milestones achieved by the Agency include the arrest of 10,005 suspected traffickers, 623 convictions, and 14,813 reported cases, among many others.

“Other milestones of the Agency include 14,813 cases reported; 10,005 suspected traffickers arrested; 623 Convictions (80 convictions in 2022 and 47 in 2023 for now, including the recent extradition of a high-profile human trafficker to Italy to serve her 13 years jail term); 260 ongoing cases in various courts across the country; the rescue of close to 22,000 victims of human trafficking.

“Knowing that issues of human trafficking happen mostly at the sub-national level, NAPTIP has inaugurated the Task Force against Human Trafficking in 22 states. These task forces have over the years amplified the fight against human trafficking and enhanced collaboration with NAPTIP at the state level.

“Other recent and exciting collaborations NAPTIP has forged is the strategic partnership with Meta (owners of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) and with the US. National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). These partnerships have further enhanced the capacity of NAPTIP to tackle issues of online child exploitation, child sexual assault materials, and sextortion including the launch of the amber alert on Facebook and Instagram in September 2022, placing Nigeria as the second country in Africa and the 29th in the world with an amber alert on Facebook and Instagram program,” he said.

The Perm Sec. pointed out that NAPTIP has given Nigeria a face in the comity of nations as a foremost counter trafficking Agency.

“Impressively, NAPTIP has given Nigeria a face in the comity of nations as a foremost counter trafficking Agency providing mentorship for several other countries within Sub-Sahara Africa and other continents, setting the pace for others to follow.

“In terms of policy development with support from the Ministry, in 2022 three policy documents targeted at revolutionizing the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria were approved by the Federal Executive Council in February and March respectively and they are: the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking in Nigeria (2022–2026); National Policy on Protection and Assistance to Trafficked Persons in Nigeria; and Protocol for identification, safe return and rehabilitation of trafficked persons.

“As we continue to collaborate with international partners to fight transborder-human trafficking and in commemoration of the upcoming 2023 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we call on stakeholders to join hands with NAPTIP to ensure that perpetrators are exposed, arrested, and prosecuted because it is our collective responsibility,” he said.

He promised that on the part of the FMHADMSD as the coordinating ministry for all humanitarian and migration issues in Nigeria, they were committed to combating all aspects of irregular migration that require multi-stakeholder engagement.

“We are committed to combating all aspects of irregular migration which requires multi-stakeholders engagement in a comprehensive and multidisciplinary manner that proactively focuses on how best to protect and assist vulnerable persons within the entire migration circle and punish the perpetrators.

“Hence, we will continue to create and enhance mechanisms for collaboration, cooperation, and partnership within the government agencies and other stakeholders including non-state actors in line with objective 23 and the entire Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR),” he said.

The NAPTIP DG earlier revealed that this year’s celebration would kick off with activities supported by reliable partners such as Sir Emeka Off or Foundation, ICMPD, UNODC, Attorney General Alliance, and Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

She revealed that the activities which would start on 24th July would extend to July 31st, and would be concluded with the annual world day against Trafficking in Persons awareness walk.

According to her, the walk allows them to sensitize members of the public on human trafficking. “This year’s walk will be special because we will have to join us members of the 22-state task force from across Nigeria. It will be an exciting one. Last year we covered 12km, this year we may cover more distance. Some of these activities will be replicated at the level where we have offices,” she explained.