This came as the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has revealed that over 10,000 Nigerian girls mostly victims of human trafficking are engaged in prostitution in Italy.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and Director-General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, spoke on Tuesday in Abuja.
They poke at the one-day public lecture to make 2018 anti-human trafficking week in Abuja, where four books and a new slogan for NAPTIP were unveiled to the public.
Malami, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary and Solicitor-General of the Federation, Dayo Akpata, said the issue of human trafficking and illegal migration has in recent times impacted negatively Nigeria’s image.
He said Nigeria is now ranked second Tier watch list in terms of countries meeting with minimum requirements for eradicating trafficking in persons, in addition to being ascribed with the highest number of trafficked women and children in Africa.
“Thousands of able-bodied Nigerians are currently stranded in Burkina Faso, Mali and Libya, thereby portraying an image of a lawless country that does not care for the well being of her people,” AGF said.
He added that the Federal government was prepared to do more to assist critical law enforcement agencies like NAPTIP in terms of increased funding and support to effectively combat the menace which he said is threatening the moral and security fibre of the society.
He said the government is also collaborating with destination countries like Italy and other European countries to investigate, expose and flush out the international syndicates that mastermind and promote trafficking in persons and related crimes.
Meanwhile, the NAPTIP boss lamented that despite enlightenment efforts of the Agency, many Nigerians lose their lives daily under the scorching sun in the Sahara Desert and raging Mediterranean, in their strive to cross over to other Europe and other regions of perceived greener pasture.
She said most of the young Nigerians trafficked to Europe and some other countries of the world, were engaged in sexual exploitation, hard labour and organ harvest.
“Early this year, the Federal government commenced massive evacuation of over 2,000 Nigerian migrants, many of whom are victims of trafficking, trapped in Libya camps in exploitative conditions.
“The sore testimonies of the returnees re-echo the theme of uncertainties surrounding their departure, intensified by the gruesome experiences at destination countries,” she said.
Okah-Donli said the Agency has rescued and rehabilitated over 13,000 victims of trafficking in persons, with a good number of them empowered with formal education programmes and vocational trades for the meaningful living.
She further disclosed that the Agency arrested, investigated and prosecuted hundreds of traffickers while a total of 359 suspected traffickers have been convicted.
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