The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has urged the newly appointed Director General of National Agency For the Prohibition of Trafficking in Presons (NAPTIP)to use data and evidence based system to improve or create programmes and align these programmes with that of the Ministry.
The Minister disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the Director General of NAPTIP, Imaan Sulaimon Ibrahim, in Abuja.
According to the Minister, “NAPTIP is core to the country and Ministry’s policy to annihilate human trafickking, prohibit all forms of domestic violence against persons and uplift the vulnerable from exploitative tendencies in a dignified manner”.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria has and continues to provide support and commitment to the Anti-Human Trafficking cause. Hence, it is my hope that you will build on previous success and strategic relationships to ensure a collaborative and Transformational approach to stemming human trafficking and domestic violence in Nigeria”.
Earlier, the Director General of NAPTIP, Imaan Sulaimon Ibrahim, reiterated NAPTIP’s commitment towards addressing the scourge of trafficking in persons in Nigeria and it’s attendant human rights abuses in its entire ramification as well as the fulfillment of the Federal Government’s international obligation under the Trafficking in Persons Protocol supplementing the United Nation’s Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC).
“In order to achieve its mandate, NAPTIP has put in the work and commitment to ensure that the vulnerable in the society are given a renewed hope for a sane and secured society”.
“From inception to date, the Agency has investigated of over ten thousand cases of human Trafficking, and it has prosecuted close to five hundred perpetrators of the crime”, she disclosed.
The DG said the Àgency is faced with administrative and operational challenges such as inadequate funding, offices and operational vehicles that have hindered the growth of the development of the Agency.
She noted that NAPTIP being Law Enforcement and Crime fighting Agency of the Federal Government requires certain tools to assist officers carry out their assignments effectively such as firearms.” The Agency requires an Arms Squad of about one hundred operatives that will provide effective protective cover for its operations, physical security, access control and protection of critical infrastructure among other relevancies. This is applicable to other sister Law Enforcement Agencies in Nigeria, and in line with international good practice”, she said.
Rhoda Ishaku Iliya
Deputy Director (Information)
11th January, 2021
