No fewer than 15,000 victims of human trafficking have so far been rescued National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) since the inception of the agency, Imaan Ibrahim, the new NAPTIP Director-General has disclosed.
Ibrahim who gave the update during an interactive session with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Social Development and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouq in Abuja, also affirmed that the agency also investigated over 10,000 cases of human trafficking and prosecuted close to 500 perpetrators of the crime, during the period under review.
The NAPTIP Director-General who thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the confidence reposed on her to pilot the affairs of the agency stated that despite the strides of success recorded by the agency in the past, there was still much to be done.
”NAPTIP is fully committed to the prevention of all forms of human degradation and exploitation through the coordinated use of the nation’’s crime prevention and law enforcement resources to stamp out human trafficking and to liberate and uplift the vulnerable, especially women, children and youths from dehumanizing and exploitative employment and usage through the deployment of the 5’P’ Approach, such as Policy development, Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnering with stakeholders to ensure their rehabilitation and effective reintegration of victims into the society.”
The NAPTIP Director-General also assured that agency’s commitment towards ensuring that the vulnerable in the society are given a renewed hope for a sane and secured society.
“This agency has through its operational activities done arrests, investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of human trafficking, counselling, rehabilitation, repatriation, and reintegration of victims into the society.
“From inception to date, the Agency has investigated over 10,000 cases of human trafficking, rescued over 15,000 victims of human trafficking and prosecuted close to 500 perpetrators of the crime.”
She also enumerated operational and administrative challenges hindering the growth and development of the agency while also presenting two policy documents to be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval and adoption.
The documents, National Policy for the Protection and Assistance to Trafficked Persons and Protocol on Identification, Safe Return and Rehabilitation of Trafficked Persons will help to provide victims of trafficking with assistance.
In her remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Social Development and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouq stressed the need to prioritize the domestication of Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015 (TIPPEA) and Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 (VAPP) in all States of the Federation.
The minister underscored the need for the 36 State Governments across the Federation to domesticate TIPPEA and Violence Against Persons Act with the view to ease some of the problems currently faced by NAPTIP in the implementation of key interventions and programmes.
She also tasked the new Director-General to make use of data systems to create programmes and align with the Ministry’s policies.
“As you have assumed the leadership role for the agency, I implore you to utilize data and evidence-based systems to improve or create programmes and align these programmes with the policies of the Ministry, to ensure effective multi-sectoral participation in the realization of the core mandate of NAPTIP.”
The minister pledged Federal Government’s continued provision, support and commitment to the anti-human trafficking cause and also urged the new Director-General to build on previous successes and strategic relationships to ensure a collaborative and transformational approach to stemming human trafficking and domestic violence in Nigeria.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Rays of the afternoon sun pelted her head as she fanned the embers beneath the half-cut iron drum with the smoke permeating the air. “This smoke is unbearable, Iya Maria,” said one of the three neighbours conversing under a makeshift shed about five meters away. Their voices rose and fell intermittently…
Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. JUSTICE NWAFOR joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…