The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has declared that the agency would intensify its enforcement strategies to ensure that Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) offenders face the full weight of the law.

Director General of the agency, Binta Bello, stated this at a World Press Conference in commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV, held on Monday in Abuja.

Issuing a strong warning to perpetrators, she said, “NAPTIP has secured the conviction of over 40 offenders in relation to SGBV, while several cases are pending at various stages in the courts.

“Two life sentences, the recent being the conviction of a 19-year-old school teacher from Kwali who raped his 9-year-old pupil.”

Bello said that the 16 Days of Activism, an international campaign running from November 25 to December 10, aims to raise awareness and spur action to end violence against women and girls worldwide.

This year, the campaign, led by the United Nations, focuses on ending digital violence against all women and girls.

Speaking on this year’s theme ‘Unite to End Digital Violence Against all Women and Girls’, she said, “It serves as a powerful reminder of our collective obligation to eliminate violence against women and girls, and to promote equality, dignity, and human rights.”

“In the coming season, we shall be fine-tuning our implementation strategies to tighten the noose on the offenders. The simple message is that it will not be rosy for any perpetrator in Nigeria in the coming season. This is a promise from NAPTIP!”

According to the agency, it plans to expand the scope of its awareness campaigns to reach vulnerable, hard-to-reach locations and to review its advocacy to better align with the realities of the digital space and the “Gen–Z target class of society.”

“Ending gender-based violence is not the responsibility of the government alone.

“We call on every Nigerian to join us in this fight. Together, through sustained advocacy, legal enforcement, societal change, and personal responsibility, we can build a Nigeria where every woman and girl lives free from violence and fear,” she concluded.

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Nigeria in tackling human trafficking and gender-based violence (GBV).

The two stressed that the dual challenges require a multi-sectoral, coordinated response.

ICMPD, represented by the Project Manager for its Netherlands-funded TIP Project, Mathias Esene, highlighted that the vulnerabilities driving both trafficking and GBV are closely related, necessitating coordinated action across the justice, security, migration, and protection systems.

He said, “This speaks directly to the reality that no single institution can address gender-based violence and trafficking in persons.

“Through our ongoing work with NAPTIP and other government institutions, we continue to prioritize capacity building, data-driven approaches, and stronger cross-border cooperation to ensure victims receive timely and effective protection IOM’s Chief of Mission in Nigeria Sharon Dimache, emphasized that human trafficking remains a critical form of GBV in the Nigerian context, affecting thousands of vulnerable people, particularly women and girls.”

The IOM Chief of Mission stated that trafficking is a crime rooted in vulnerability, driven by poverty, insecurity, limited opportunities, and persistent gender inequalities.

She acknowledged the Nigerian government’s commitment to addressing the issue despite the challenges.

“For IOM Nigeria, this is a critical moment to highlight one of the most severe forms of gender-based violence in our context; trafficking in persons,” the Chief of Mission stated.

She reiterated IOM’s commitment to continuing its work with the government on prevention, victim protection, and strengthening partnerships.

“As we begin this year’s campaign under the global theme Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls, we are reminded that preventing trafficking requires sustainable investment; investment in economic empowerment for women and youth, in education, in safe migration pathways, and in strong protection services,” she adds.

Both organisations commended the leadership and dedication of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).