By Mike ALADENIKA.
The new Director-General of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dr. Fatima Waziri-Azi has declared the readiness of the agency to step up its activities to combat the well organized crime of human trafficking and other related crimes in Nigeria.
Dr. Fatima Waziri-Azi stated this in Abuja while interfacing with Journalists said "we are determined to stop them at all cost by applying a 24 hours hands on deck approach and ensuring that the proceeds of their criminal activities are forfeited for the benefit of the real owners (the Victims).
The NAPTIP boss said "It is on record that Nigeria was one of the very few countries to have a full-fledged counter trafficking Agency in the World and the first in Africa. Other African countries came to Nigeria to understudy the work of NAPTIP and subsequently set up similar Agencies which made Nigeria to attain the Tier 1 status in the United States ranking of countries’ compliance to the minimum standards in the fight against human trafficking (US Department of State Trafficking Report). In recent years, Nigeria has had to slide away from Tier 1 to Tier 2, then to Tier 2 Watch list and this year back to Tier 2, due to the Federal Government’s increasing efforts considering the impact of COVID 19 on its anti-trafficking efforts, compared to previous years.
Despite the organised nature of the crime "It is a known fact that human trafficking has continued to evolve in line with globalization especially with the advent of technology, thus, human trafficking is not a problem, it is a CRISES! And empirical evidence has shown that Trafficking in Persons has become the third largest criminal enterprise globally and second amongst transnational organized crime, despite sustained efforts by world governments and the international community. It is an organized crime that is mostly carried out covertly and involves several individuals or groups playing different roles between countries.
"The criminal enterprises have shifted significantly from the old time physical recruitment procedures to virtual recruitment through virtual assessment of victims, proxy negotiations and administration of oath of secrecy even at the destination countries and electronic transfer of proceeds of this illicit trade. In line with this, it is my determination, working with sister Law Enforcement Agencies at home and abroad to move far ahead of them.
Dr. Fatima Waziri-Azi said " All these would be achieved through diligent implementation of a 4- point strategic priority in line with the 5Ps Strategies of the Agency that is; Policy, Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership.
"The first strategic priority is to Enhance the Conviction of High Profile Traffickers and increased prosecution of cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence. It is on record that the Agency has had 487 convictions since its inception in 2003. As commendable as this appears especially with the difficulties and challenges in the prosecution of a clandestine crime like trafficking in persons, it is clearly not enough and we must do more in that direction.
" In as much as we shall continue to arrest and prosecute all offenders, our greater emphasis shall be on those high-profile traffickers. We shall not only go after them, we shall collaborate with other partners and destination countries to recover and return all illicit assets. When we have more convictions and less impunities, that is what sends a message.
"This we intend to achieve through proactive and diligent Investigation and prosecution aimed at eliminating weaknesses in the prosecution of High-Profile Cases that will guarantee a realistic prospect of a conviction based on a realistic and objective evaluation of the available evidence. We will also collaborate with the judiciary to sensitize judges handling trafficking in persons cases; enhance our witness protection mechanism so that victims and witnesses can be further embolden to testify; will shall focus on the implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPPA) 2015 and enhanced capacity building of Investigators, Prosecutors, intelligent officers and care givers.
"The second strategic priority is enhancing the prevention of trafficking in persons through increased and consistent Awareness Creation and Sensitization deliberately designed to educate people about human trafficking, its violence and what drives it, especially at the sub-national levels, and well as issues of Sexual and Gender Based Violence. This shall entail a scaled-up community-centred awareness creation, survivor’s advocacy campaign, school campaigns, digital media campaign and traditional media campaigns.
"We will also engage in a lot of Advocacy programmes with State Governments and Employers of Labour especially with the private sector with a view to providing more opportunities for young people so as to make them economically stable.
NAPTIP will employ a "Sustainable and Evidence Based Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Empowerment Programs for Survivors of Human Trafficking. Efforts shall be made to ensure that survivors have access to a comprehensive rehabilitation scheme that will include mentoring and access to existing Federal Government initiatives like MSME grants, shared facilities and innovation hubs. We shall Scale-up access to education, income generation, and micro finance scheme for survivors to enable them properly fit into society in the long term.
The fourth strategic focus shall be an increased visibility of the Agency and its partners. This shall involve deepening engagement with the Media, and the amplification of our reporting channels. Access to justice is a top State function and one of the top priorities for the poorest. NAPTIP will continue to scale up people’s centered access to justice by strengthening the visibility of our reporting channels (short code (*627*) toll free number(0800CALLNAPTIP); email (info@naptip.gov.ng;) social media handles (NAPTIPNG). In many instances, the success of an initiative is measured by the number of people that access it (If the level of reportage to the Agency is low, then it only shows that we need to step up our game). We will also enhance visibility of our successes and that of our partners.
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