FG extends whistle-blowing to human trafficking

THE Federal Government has approved the application of the whistle-blowing policy in the fight against human trafficking in the country.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, conveyed the Federal Government’s approval to the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Julie Okah-Donli.

The Head, Press and Relations of NAPTIP, Mr Josiah Emerole, in a statement on Monday, in Abuja, said the approval was sequel to earlier request by the director-general for the whistle-blowing policy to be extended to issues of human trafficking.

This, according to the statement, would encourage people report cases of trafficking in persons and provide information on assets of traffickers to the agency without fear of reprisals.

The inclusion of human trafficking cases in the whistle blowing policy has remained one of the cardinal plans of Okah-Donli since she assumed office late April, when she got to understand that many cases of human trafficking were never reported to NAPTIP and other relevant agencies.

In a letter dated August 7 and addressed to the Director- General of NAPTIP, the Director (Solicitors Department) Z. S Adevanju, conveyed the approval on behalf of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

He stated that the approval was given based on the fact that the request by NAPTIP for the inclusion of trafficking cases in the whistle blowing policy of the present administration was not in conflict with any extant law.

With the latest development, people can now give verifiable information on any case of human trafficking including assets of human traffickers for possible confiscation through legal proceedings to NAPTIP.

Okah-Donli, while reacting to the development, said the coast has become clearer for informants to come up with verifiable information on human traffickers adding that all information given to the agency would be treated with confidentiality.

While encouraging members of the public to step forward with information, she added that the agency was working out modalities for reward to informants.