NAPTIP seeks arms-bearing squad
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, (NAPTIP) has called for the establishment of an arms-carrying squad to provide more security cover for operatives during confrontation with human traffickers.
The agency’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Josiah Emerole, made this known at a three-day media workshop, at the weekend, in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
He said NAPTIP was looking planning to set up its own arm-bearing squad, due to increasing attacks by human trafficking syndicates on its personnel, and to complement police officers attached to it during such missions.
He said: “NAPTIP has been going after trafficking gangs, and our men are exposed to danger during such operations. This is why there is a need for operatives to carry arms. We are considering the establishment of our own arms-bearing team.
“Trafficking cartels have trafficked more than 15,000 children into Europe, with a promise of making them footballers. This is false. Therefore, we are going after all traffickers and identified orphanages and baby factories.”
He said human trafficking for sex, labour and harvest of human organs and others, were as dangerous as any crime, especially now that organ harvesters have taken their deceptive campaigns to secondary schools and universities.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS), Amos Okpu, said tracking traffickers and fighting them had continued to be an uphill task for security agents, “due to how organised the cartels are.”
He called for a unified effort to tackle the menace of both trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.
“Irregular migration syndicates are much more organised than those of us fighting them. All hands must be on deck to tackle this evil trend,” he said.
