To further sensitive Nigerians on the antics of traffickers under the guise of football and other sports opportunities, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, (NAPTIP), has organised a novelty football.
Director General, NAPTIP, Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi, said parents and guardians must not be ignorant of the activities of human traffickers who are constantly evolving strategies to prey on unsuspecting victims and sports is one of such means they employ to trick young Nigerians.
Speaking at the novelty match organised in collaboration with international partners and stakeholders such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (UNODC), and the International Center for Migration and Policy Development, (ICMPD), in celebration of the Work Day Against Trafficking in Persons as well as NAPTIP’s 20th anniversary, yesterday in Abuja, the DG said human trafficking is a crime that dehumanises the victim.
She said “We are celebrating the 2023 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons and we know that many young people in Nigeria have the hope and aspiration of traveling abroad to make it. We have young people who want to Kanu’s and Amokachi’s of tomorrow and we know that also human traffickers prey on these hopes and aspirations of young people to traffic them under the guise of sports.
“This is why we know that it is important to share this message through sports, let people be aware, let parents also be aware and not just young people, that there are traffickers out there who are waiting to prey on young people.”
Professor Waziri-Azi also explained that “NAPTIP has the powers to issue what we call the Trafficking in Persons Control of activities and Centers Regulation, 2019. It empowers us to issue clearance to travel agencies, tour agencies, sporting recruiters and labour recruiters for all intending travellers leaving Nigeria.
“So we want to put the message out there that NAPTIP has a 24 hour call center so if you see something, say something. The number is 07030000203, we also have a short code on MTN which is 627.”
“The world against trafficking in persons that is held annually globally but this year’s celebration is particularly special because on the 14th of July NAPTIP clocked 20 years so it’s been 20 years of fighting human trafficking in Nigeria,” she said.
Highlighting the importance of the novelty match to the campaign against human trafficking, Deputy Representative , UNODC office, Nigeria, Danilo Campisi, said the sports is very important to Niger and the international community and because trafficking are also cashing in to take advantage it, it is important to use sports also in passing along anti-human trafficking and traffickiing awareness messages.
“The message we want to pass along with NAPTIP is that human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes that should be taken seriously by Nigeria and by the international community and we stand together with NAPTIP to do so and this support to NAPTIP and the Nigerian people dates back 20 years.
“The DG recently presented the result and impact of our partnership and I think the results are concrete and tangible especially in the area of victims rescued and repatriated to Nigeria,” he adds.
The match which held between NAPTIP and International partners and stakeholders teams, saw the NAPTIP team emerge winner with a 2-1 goal win.
