The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof Fatima Waziri-Azi, has disclosed that the Agency secured no fewer than 624 convictions since its establishment 20 years ago.
The DG made the disclosure on Thursday in her welcome address at the NAPTIP at 20 Celebration and Awards in Abuja.
Waziri-Azi said NAPTIP has progressed from its very first command in Benin -Edo State to offices in 32 states and a task force against human trafficking in 22 states.
“We have made progress in our criminal justice response with a significant increase in convictions (624 Convictions since the first conviction was secured in 2006.”
While speaking further, she said the agency secured 80 convictions in 2022 which is the highest in a single year since the inception of NAPTIP and 48 convictions and counting in 2023 including for the first time the conviction of a law enforcement officer for human trafficking offences.
“Prosecution of several mutual legal assistance cases and on the 8 of March 2023, the extradition of a high profile human trafficker to Italy to serve out her 13 years jail term.
“Our recent strategic partnership with Meta (owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) and the United States National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children have further enhanced the capacity of NAPTIP to tackle issues of online child exploitation.”
She noted that Nigeria is better poised to control and tackle human trafficking because of the collaborative efforts of everyone.
“Last year, with support from our supervising Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, not one but three policy documents targeted at revolutionizing the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria, including the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking (2022-2026); were approved by the Federal Executive Council.”
“Today we will present more policy documents and innovations and they include: NAPTIP Disability Inclusion Policy, NAPTIP Service Charter, policy documents that have been transcribed into braille for the blind in collaboration with the disability commission.”
“There will also be a brief demonstration of our remodeled app called the Ireporter, and NAPTIP Learning Management System supported by the Canadian Government and lastly Audio-Visual Materials developed for use by the Blind and Deaf.”
“To keep things current, for anyone who has noticed, we have rebranded our logo, which has already been mainstreamed.”
“The rebranded logo represents a re-commitment from NAPTIP to protect all persons against human trafficking, and violence against persons through a people-centered access to justice, and the provision of safe spaces,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo in his address reiterated that human trafficking knows no boundaries stressing that it thrives in the shadows, exploiting vulnerabilities and preying on the marginalized and defenseless.
Sani-Gwarzo, who was represented by the Deputy Director of Humanitarian, Charles Anielo however said, on the part of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, the coordinating ministry for all humanitarian and migrations issues in Nigeria, Federal government is committed to combating all aspect of irregular migration which requires multi-stakeholders’ engagement in comprehensive and protect multidisciplinary manner that proactively focuses on how best to and assist vulnerable persons within the entire migration circle and punish the perpetrators.
“We have witnessed the incredible power of cooperation and the unwavering dedication of countless individuals who have come together to combat the injustice of human trafficking.”
“Today we pay tribute to each and every person and we celebrate the numerous lives that have been transformed, the futures that have been rewritten, and the hope that has been restored.” He said.
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