NAPTIP rescues over 6,000 victims from traffickers

NAPTIP Assistant Director of Intelligence, Research and Programme Development Department, Mr. Godwin Morka, yesterday revealed that the battle against human trafficker was yielding dividends, as the crime was now on the decrease. This was even as it was revealed that over 6000 victims had been rescued by the agency from human traffickers.

Speaking at NAPTIP office, Ikeja, while presenting materials for seven girls, who were rescued from traffickers and later trained in skill acquisition by NAPTIP, Morka said that  nobody in Nigeria could categorically stated that he or she had not heard of human trafficking and child labour. According to him, those who still continued in the crime activities of human trafficking and child labour were only doing it because, “they’re criminally minded people, not because they don’t know about the law!”

He said: “Human trafficking is on the decrease. You can’t go to schools and fool anybody anymore into trafficking them, except for those who’re criminals.”

NAPTIP fact sheet states that over 6,000 victims have been rescued and counseled by the agency, while about 1000 of these victims had been equipped with various vocational skills, with some still in schools.

The fact sheet states further: “168 have been convicted and they’re now serving various jail terms in different parts of the country with many cases still pending in various courts in the country. The agency evacuated 104 girls trapped in sex slavery in Mali. They were counseled and rehabilitated.”

The Deputy Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, Oyo State Command, officer of in charge of human trafficking Desk, Mrs. Biodun Ojobibola, buttressed Morka’s argument that human trafficking was on the decrease. She said: “We’re happy now that human trafficking is on the decrease because a lot of people a lot of people are becoming aware of these crimes. We however still implore people to see something and report it!”

The Lagos State Zonal Head, NAPTIP, Mr. Joseph Famakin said that NAPTIP had assiduously been following what he described as a four Ps to help in the fight against human trafficking.

“The first P is to make sure we prevent human trafficking, the second P is protection of the victims and family members against the trafficker who might come after them in a reprisal attack. Then there is the third P which is prosecution of the traffickers or offenders. If they’re prosecuted, it will serve as deterrent to others. The last P is partnership with other stakeholders. We can’t fight human traffickers alone. This is why we collaborate and partner with police, immigration, nongovernmental organizations and others.”