NAPTIP plans to open human traffickers registry

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it will open human traffickers registry to name and shame perpetrators of the illegal act.

The Director-General of the agency, Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, disclosed this on Friday at the flagship of the second phase project of “Not-for-sale” campaign in Abuja.

“The ‘Not-for-sale’ campaign is been spearheaded by the UK Cabinet Office, aid to assist NAPTIP towards the total elimination of the scourge of trafficking in Nigeria.

“If criminals can form networks to commit crimes in our society, then organisations of goodwill must close ranks and partner to combat and surmount them.

“NAPTIP with the support of UK Cabinet Office is reshaping behavioural communication efforts in our awareness campaign with paradigms to rekindle the pride in Nigerian youths.

“And to discontinue the assumption that the street of Europe are painted with Gold,” Okah-Donli said.

According to her, NAPTIP collaboration with the UK Cabinet Office have yielded valuable results and called on other stakeholders of the agency to continue to be good ambassadors by working towards ending the menace of trafficking.

Mrs Catriona Laing, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, said that the “Not-for-sale” campaign was geared towards reminding all Nigerians on the seriousness of human trafficking issues in Nigeria.

According to her, human trafficking is one of the world most horrible problems and Nigeria has been greatly endemic with the issue, hence the need to continue to campaign against it.

“We have to confront this; over 1.1 million Nigerians are living in slavery, this campaign is all about reaching out to young women and girls; the campaign has been successful since its launch.

“We are working with DFID to stamp out trafficking in Nigeria, we are also working with NAPTIP on the law enforcement angle, let’s continue to collaborate; don’t sell the future of your daughter,” she stressed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the idea behind the “Not-for-sale” campaign was to discourage young Nigerians to say no to human traffickers and smugglers of migrants.

NAN also reports that the first phase of the project started in March 2019.

The objective of the project was to identify young Nigerians who in spite of the lures and harmful attraction of the scourge traffickers, resist this path and choose to stay back in Nigeria and contribute to its development.

The piloting states for this project are Edo, Delta, Lagos and Akwa Ibom.

The Attorney-General and Commissioners for Justice from Edo and Delta States, who are chairmen of the taskforce teams on trafficking issues in their respective states, were present at the event.