The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NAPTIP

  • AGF calls for diligent prosecution of human traffickers

    AGF calls for diligent prosecution of human traffickers

    The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami (SAN), on Friday stressed the need for diligent prosecution of human traffickers in order to give hope to victims.

    Malami spoke in Abuja at a seminar organised by the Ministry of Justice to mark the 2017 International Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

    The theme of this year’s celebration is: “Elimination of Human Trafficking: Advocacy for Prosecuting Agencies and the Public.’’

    He said: “Stakeholders must do all that they can to give hope to the victims of human trafficking by reporting any known case of human trafficking.

    “That is the first step to the prosecution of perpetrators of this heinous crime.

    “The issue of human trafficking and forced labour had become a great concern the world over, because many persons are deprived of their basic rights to dignity of person and right to life.

    “A vibrant public awareness of the crime, modus operandi of the perpetrators and public participation in reportage, follow-up and support for prosecuting agencies are therefore, steps in the right direction.”

    According to Malami, since no society can effectively police itself without the full involvement of the citizens, this year’s celebration is a call to duty for members of the public to assist the prosecuting agencies.

    The Chairman of Senate committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Sen. Shehu Sani, said for the war against human trafficking to be won, Nigeria must fine tune its legal framework.

    He said the fine tuning would enable the country to keep pace with the ever changing antics of the traffickers.

    NAN

  • Italy-based woman arraigned for human trafficking

    A Nigerian based in Italy, Mrs. Lasiru Dolly Rossato, has been arraigned in a court in Edo State for alleged human trafficking.

    Rosatto, 47, was docked for contravening section 15(a) & 19(b) of Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act 2003 as amended.

    She was accused of procuring a 19- year old girl for prostitution in Italy in August 2014.

    A statement issued by the Edo State Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr. Nduka Nwanwenne, said the suspect operated a company called African Choice and Import Market through which most of her victims were recruited to Italy for prostitution.

    He said the victim was to pay 62,000 euros to the suspect, adding that by August, this year, the victim would have spent three years with the suspect as a sex slave.

    The statement reads, “Before taking the victim to Italy, she was first taken to a shrine in Oluku, in the outskirt of Benin-City, where she was given a black soap to bath with. She was also asked to deposit her finger nails, pubic hair and hair.

    “Again, the victim was taken to another shrine in Ogun State, where an oath was administered to her.”

    Presiding Magistrate, F.E Akhere, remanded the suspect in prison and adjourned the case till September 18.

  • Human trafficking: NAPTIP begins operation at UK airports

    Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) selected for the joint operations with the Border Force of the United Kingdom have commenced work at the London Heathrow and Gatwick Airports in Britain.

    The team comprising male and female operatives arrived London at the weekend and commenced work immediately.

    A statement issued on Monday by the Head of Press and Public Relations of NAPTIP, Josiah Emerole, said their operations include profiling of passengers, especially Nigerians, with a view to identifying Potential Victims of Trafficking (PVoT), their traffickers and collaborators.

    The British authorities recently approved joint operations between NAPTIP operatives and the UK Border Force at the two airports.

    They are expected to randomly profile passengers and identify PVoT and suspected traffickers.

     

  • NAPTIP arraigns woman for alleged child trafficking

    NAPTIP arraigns woman for alleged child trafficking

    National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) yesterday arraigned Mrs Patience Onuchukwu before Justice Anthony Onovo of Nsukka High Court for alleged child trafficking.

    Onuchukwu is facing a two -count charge of transfer, harbouring and receiving of a person contrary to Section 13(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Person (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015

    The defendant is also facing a charge of alleged abduction and removal of a child from lawful custody against the will of the father and mother, contrary to Section 38 of the Enugu State Child’s Right Act

    She pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Justice Onovo, who refused the prosecuting counsel’s application to refuse the defendant bail, held that the alleged offence was bailable and granted her bail for N200,000 with one surety in like sum.

    Onovo adjourned the case until October 17.

  • NAPTIP arrests another ‘notorious trafficker’ in Edo

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said it has arrested a 45-year-old woman, Rhoda Omorogie, alias Mama Bobo, for her alleged involvement in the trafficking of young girls from Benin to Europe.

    The NAPTIP Head of Press and Public Relations, Mr Josiah Emerole, said in a statement yesterday  in Abuja that the operatives of the agency in Benin Zonal Command arrested the suspect in an early morning operation on Tuesday.

    Emerole explained that Omorogie, a nurse by profession and an indigene of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo, was nabbed by the operatives at about 5 a.m at her residence located at No. 65 Osayande St. off Upper Sakponda Road, Benin City.

    He said the suspected trafficker had been in hiding since June 16 following the arrest of one of her gang members, Monday Ugbo, by NAPTIP operatives and rescue of three victims.

    According to him, the “notorious trafficker’’ is presently in NAPTIP’s custody for interrogation.

    The spokesperson stated that preliminary reports showed that Omorogie has over the years been involved in the recruitment of young women from Benin to other places including Europe.

    He said the report also revealed that she was connected to the recruitment of the three victims that were rescued in Benin at the weekend.

    Emerole quoted the Director-General of NAPTIP, Mrs Julie Oka-Donli, saying that it is disheartening to see women involved in the “disgusting trade of human beings’’.

  • Notorious human trafficker arrested in Edo, three victims rescued

    Notorious human trafficker arrested in Edo, three victims rescued

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Sunday said it has arrested a notorious human trafficker and rescued three victims from his residence in Benin.

    Mr Josiah Emerole, the Head, Press and Public Relations, NAPTIP, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued in Abuja.

    Emerole disclosed that the 33-year-old man, Monday Ugbo, was nabbed after several weeks of surveillance by the operatives of the agency.

    He explained that the NAPTIP Benin Zonal Command arrested the suspected human trafficker at his residence located at number 72 Osayande St., Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, Edo.

    “Operatives of our agency have been on his trail for several weeks, following regular mention of his name in a number of human trafficking cases being handled by the Zonal Command.

    “Following intelligence reports that he was harbouring some girls in his house preparatory to their being trafficked abroad, the operative swooped on him in the early hours of Friday.

    “He was caught in the process of receiving a registration fee of N50,000 he had demanded from a prospective victim,” the spokesman said.

    According to him, the preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is also preparing to take the three girls to a River that morning for oath taking before they could embark on the journey to Europe.

    He said that Ugbo claimed to be a bricklayer and has been in the business of human trafficking for a long time operating with another woman now at large.

    The spokesperson added that the suspect was in the agency’s custody giving useful statements.

    Emerole quoted NAPTIP’s Director-General, Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, while reacting on the breakthrough commended the operatives, assuring that there is no hiding place for human traffickers anymore in Nigeria.

    Okah-Donli noted that the agency and its partners had resolved to collaborate more appropriately in stopping further trafficking of Nigerians both within and outside the country.

    Meanwhile, the NAPTIP spokesman has disclosed that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) had handed over 21 rescued victims of human trafficking to NAPTIP.

    He said that the age range of the victims was between 18 and 34 years, while one suspected trafficker was also handed over.

    According to him, 12 of the victims comprising five males and seven females were handed over to the Kano Zonal Command of the agency by the NIS after they were intercepted at Babamutum border area of Katsina State by the NIS border patrol.

    Emerole said that the victims were being moved outside the country as at the time they were rescued.

    He stated that another nine, all females, were handed over to the NAPTIP headquarters in Abuja by the NIS headquarters while attempting to procure International passports to travel out.

    The spokesman added that all the victims were presently with the agency for profiling and counseling. (NAN)

  • 500 Nigerians to be deported from Libya – NAPTIP

    At least 500 Nigerians would be deported from Libya on Thursday and next Tuesday, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic In Person (NAPTIP) has said.

    NAPTIP’s Director-General, Julie Okah-Donli, stated this during her maiden visit to Lagos Zonal Command in Ikeja.

    She said 250 would arrive the country on Thursday and the other 250 by Tuesday.

    Okah-Donli, who declared war against human traffickers and organisations representing them, said a template would be released soon and any organisation that refused to comply with same would be sanctioned.

    According to her, NAPTIP was on the verge of releasing its “name and shame” policy, to expose those behind human trafficking to the world.

    The NAPTIP boss said the agency has recorded modest achievements since inception in 2003, adding that a total of 4,755 cases were received; 10,685 victims rescued and supported, and 323 convictions secured.

    She said: “However, the trend of deportation of Nigerians from different parts of the world, especially in Africa in recent times is frightening and must be changed.

    “For instance, between February and April, no fewer than 1,134 Nigerians were deported from different parts of the world for various offences. Out of the number, 905 were deported from Libya in five batches. As if that was not enough, we are expecting 250 on Thursday and another 250 persons next week, all from Libya. This number does not include the over 5,000, mainly victims of human trafficking in Mali, awaiting evacuation back home.

    “In the last few days, I have interacted with various stakeholders and we have discovered that many people are still living in ignorance of the presence of this modern day slavery in our midst and the need to join hands to fight it.

    “We have also seen the haphazard manner with which various stakeholders are battling it without the required synergy. In the next few months, NAPTIP would come up with a template to ensure comprehensive synergy amongst all stakeholders. We will not impose this template on the stakeholders but will hold discussions on it and anyone who runs foul afterwards, would face necessary sanctions.”

  • FG to name, shame traffickers, says NAPTIP chief

    FG to name, shame traffickers, says NAPTIP chief

    The federal government has vowed to adopt the name and shame policy for those involved in trafficking.
    Director-General National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Julie Okah-Donli, said the policy will ensure there is no hiding place for culprits.
    Speaking in her maiden interaction with reporters at the headquarters of the agency in Abuja, Okah-Donli also appealed for extension of the whistle blowing policy to human trafficking.
    The whistle blowing policy, according to her, will succeed with human trafficking like it is with corruption.
    She said: “We will employ the name and shame policy to ensure that those who get involved do not have a hiding place anywhere across the globe.
    “We must do all to protect the lives and dignity of our next generation who are being destroyed now by criminally minded individuals.
    “It is a known fact that human trafficking has moved from the era of analogue and person-person recruitment of victims to a well-orchestrated criminal network that is designed to deceive even the very best operatives.”
    She assured the agency will nab “any human trafficker from the point of conceiving the idea to the point of exploitation.
    “Efforts shall be made to equip operatives of the agency to detect and proactively burst any human trafficking action form the bud.
    “The era of trading on our promising youths as commodities is over and all machinery must be put in place to ensure that our youths have a secure future.
    “We shall increase our surveillance and intelligence around the known endemic communities and villages coupled with a reloaded sensitization and public enlightenment campaign.”
    Okah-Donli stated the agency since inception has 3,407 cases and rescued 10, 685 victims with 321 convictions.

  • NAPTIP rescues 69 victims of human trafficking

    NAPTIP rescues 69 victims of human trafficking

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP), Kano Zone, claims to have rescued no fewer than 69 victims of human trafficking from January to date.

    The NAPTIP Zonal Commander in Kano, Mr Shehu Umar, told  the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano yesterday that 32 of the rescued are male and 37 female.

    Umar said the command had recorded no fewer than 32 cases of child labour, unlawful canal knowledge, wandering in the streets by minors, child abuse and illegal entry for greener pasture, among others.

    He said the command was able to arrest 33 suspects out of whom 23 were males, while 10 were females.

    The zonal commander also said that the command had recorded one case of internal trafficking and eight cases of external trafficking as well as secured one conviction during the period under review.

    The defendant, one Yunusa Umar, 28, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on April 12, without an option of fine and was ordered to also pay N1 million.

  • Actionaid, NAPTIP tackle violence against kids

    A United Kingdom (UK) charity organisation, Actionaid has entered into partnership with National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) and other government agencies in a bid to end violence against children in Nigeria.

    Speaking at a media sensitisation meeting, Maryann Obidike, the presentative of Actionaid explained the importance of protecting the children. As Assets of the country.

    She reaffirmed the organization’s efforts in the. Success of the strategy put in place which cut across five states, Edo, Benue, Nasarawa, FCT and Kuduna in order to take the message to the grassroots.

    Obidike explained that the strategy known as Sustainable Mechanism for Improving Livelihood and house Empowerment (SMILE) is design to strengthened institutional and technical capacity of states and local government to provide, manage, and monitor integrated comprehensiveness of children and their families.

    She noted also that SMILE as a strategy will strengthen organizational and technical capacity of civil society organizations.

    Maryann said, “SMILE is using a bottom-up approach to ensure sustainability of whatever project that is carried out by the organisation, we ensure that the people whom this projects are for, benefit and own the projects.

    “The people getting help must own the programme as a way of allowing the contributions of the people make the decision of what project Actionaid will carry out in a particular location” she stated.

    Also at the meeting, Adekoye Vincent, a representative from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) charged the media to create more awareness of the dangers of child abuse through their reporting.

    On his part, the Deputy Director in the department of Social Development Service (SDS) in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Adeyemi Ajayi explained that national survey conducted in 2014 by National Population Commission shows that one in four girls and one in 10 boys experience sexual violence.