Human Trafficking: NAPTIP inaugurates vanguard school club in FCT

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has inaugurated anti-human trafficking school club at Government Girls College (GGC) Abaji, FCT, as part of campaign against human trafficking.

The agency also inducted the first Anti-Human Trafficking Teenage Ambassador, Miss Mariam Babatunde, to campaign against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and other forms of immoralities in the school.

The NAPTIP Director-General, Dr Fatima Waziri-Azi, said at the inauguration on Thursday, in Abuja, that it was part of the commemoration of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

Waziri-Azi said her visit to the school brought back nostalgic memories even though it was an experience, she had chosen to forgive her bullies. She said that bullying and SGDV have devastating effects on a female child.

The director-general encouraged the students to stand up, speak out and play a part in making sure that Nigeria became a human trafficking free nation.

She said that one of the ways not to fall prey of human trafficking was to be contented in life and focused on what was truly needful.

According to her, there is no free lunch any where in the world not even in Freetown. The director-general charged the students to be good ambassadors of the school, their homes and examples to others both within and outside the school premises.

Pledging their support for the club, the Head Girl, Miss Adeyemi Abisoye, promised to use the platform to sensitise and promote the fight against bullying and human trafficking in the society.

She appreciated the director-general for the induction and recognition of the first teenage NAPTIP ambassador on human trafficking in the country, adding, she would lead the students right, as the head girl.

Abisoye said her desire to be the voice for the voiceless had been met, adding that, her focus would be to see the establishment of anti-human trafficking clubs in unity schools across Nigeria.

On her part, the Principal, Mrs Sodangi Binta, thanked NAPTIP for selecting the school as the first school to inaugurate a club on such sensitive issue.

Binta promised to provide all necessary support needed for the success of the club. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the young ambassador was presented with a plaque while every member of the vanguard club were given a certificate of recognition.

NAPTIP also presented flyers to the students highlighting the role and responsibilities of the agency as enshrined in the Act establishing it.