Tag: NAPTIP

The Ministry of Women Affairs and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have disclosed plans to jointly rehabilitate ten girls who were trafficked to Ghana for sexual exploitation.

The girls between the ages of 15-18 were recently rescued through the efforts of Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation in Ghana.

The plans for their rehabilitation were disclosed when the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, visited the headquarters of NAPTIP in Abuja on Monday.

The visit followed viral reports of the trafficking of some Nigerian girls to Ghana for sexual exploitation.

The minister in a statement by the communications officer of NAPTIP, Adekoye Vincent, commended the agency for its impact in tackling human trafficking in Nigeria and promised to work with the Agency for sustained rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking through the existing empowerment scheme established by the Ministry.

She said: “I came here to see my sister concerning the issue of the Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana. We will join hands with NAPTIP to empower them, give them skills or send them to school”.

Read Also: 63-year-old nabbed for operating baby factory in Abia, says NAPTIP

The minister also said she would embark on massive advocacy among diverse stakeholders including operators of commercial transport companies, the aviation sector, the marine sector, and a cross-section of parents across the country.

She noted that parents and transport operators will be held responsible if found culpable in the trafficking of children.

The director general of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, said the agency has been proactive in carrying out its mandates which has led to the conviction of 29 human traffickers from January 2024 till date.

She said the agency convicted 67 traffickers in 2023, 80 in 2022, and 670 human trafficking convictions since the inception of the Agency including the rescue of over 23,000 victims.

Prof. Waziri–Azi said: “Even though the Government has a major role in tackling human trafficking, communities and families have an even greater role in tackling these issues. Regarding the girls in Ghana, we are in touch with the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Unit. The girls have been rescued and are safe.

“The perpetrator has been arrested, and I am also in contact with Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM). I am very delighted by the Minister’s visit. From our conversation, we will approach this issue more strategically, in terms of prevention. Prevention is better than cure.

“I want to emphasize to parents and young people that there is no free lunch anywhere; if it is free, then you are the product. We know that everyone desires a better life, but wanting a better life does not mean you should not be discerning. When somebody comes and offers you Eldorado, please ask questions.”

A sixty-three-year-old woman, Chinyere Nkwocha, has been arrested for operating a baby factory in Abia State. 

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said the baby factory was uncovered by the Department of State Services (DSS), Abia State Command. 

Ten victims were rescued from Umunkwa village, located in the Umuafai Ndume Ibeku area of Umuahia North Local Government, Abia State where Nkwocha operates.

The victims, aged between one and 24 years, included seven young girls, six of whom are pregnant, one lactating mother, and two boys who are minors. 

NAPTIP said the suspects and the victims have been handed over to its Abia State Liaison Office for further investigation and appropriate action.

The Director-General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri–Azi,  expressed concern over the increasing incidences of the buying and selling of babies and the proliferation of baby factories across the country.

She said in recent times, there have been alarming reports and public outcry regarding the sale of babies and the existence of facilities specializing in trapping young girls, recruiting men to impregnate them, and subsequently selling the babies after delivery. 

Read Also: Trafficking to Vietnam increasing, says NAPTIP

Waziri-Azi in a statement by the Communication Officer of the agency, Adekoye Vincent, stated that the factories operate covertly and prey on the desperation and vulnerability of unsuspecting victims.

She said the operators of the factory often lure people with promises of financial gain or false assurances of care and support.

The Director-General, while commending the Abia State Command of the DSS for the successful operation, urged the public, especially parents, to be vigilant and ensure that their wards do not fall victim.

She also encouraged communities to continue collaborating with Law Enforcement Agencies in combating the crime by reporting all cases of human trafficking to NAPTIP through its toll-free number, 0703 0000 203, or short code 627 (MTN & AIRTEL Only).

…says 2,112 victims rescued in 2023

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said there has been an increase in cases of trafficking to Vietnam since the year began.

The agency also said it has secured 14 convictions this year, adding that 243 cases were pending before various courts across the country.

NAPTIP also revealed that five defendants comprising Alliance Hospital, doctors, recruiter and broker, were arraigned in court last week for an alleged case of kidney harvesting.

The Director General of the Agency, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi disclosed this in Abuja on Monday at the 26th National Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Human Trafficking.

She revealed that the agency received and investigated 968 human trafficking complaints in 2023, adding that 507 which represents 68.1 percent were for internal trafficking complaints, while 303 which represents 31.9 per cent were for external trafficking complaints.

The DG also said 86 cases were charged to court and 67 convictions secured.

According to Waziri-Azi, the agency rescued, received and supported 2,112 victims last year, out of which 473 were males and 1,639 females.

It noted that females constituted 77.6 per cent of the total victims out of which 43.4% were children.

She also revealed that Benue State had the highest number of indigenes rescued in 2023 followed by Edo, Ondo, and Akwa Ibom States.

For the region, she said the agency rescued and received 47 victims of inward trafficking mostly from West African countries.

On the trends of human trafficking, Waziri-Azi said: “We identified emerging trends and patterns in human trafficking for 2023 to include labour and sexual exploitation to Iraq, mostly to Baghdad and Basra, peer-to-peer recruitment for organ harvesting, sextortion, and human trafficking fueled cyber-fraud.

“Already in 2024, we are seeing incremental cases of trafficking to Vietnam for labor exploitation.”

Highlighting some of the successes recorded recently, Waziri-Azi said: “For the first time a high profile human trafficker was extradited to Italy to serve her 13 years jail term and this was made possible with the collaborative efforts of the Italian Government, DSS, FMoJ, the judiciary and INTERPOL NCB- Abuja.

“For the first time a law enforcement officer was convicted to 5 years imprisonment without the option of fine for facilitating crimes of human trafficking, sending a clear message that no one is above the law.

“Ensuring that justice knows no boundaries, we secured our first mutual legal assistance conviction between Nigeria and Belgium involving a high-profile trafficker. In October 2023 she was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment plus a fine for the role she played in trafficking 12 victims to Belgium for forced prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation.

Read Also: Nigerians lured with fake $900 pay jobs in Ghana, Ivory Coast, others, says NAPTIP

“In January this year, we secured our second mutual legal assistance conviction between Nigeria and Spain involving yet another high-profile trafficker. In the same token, last year we secured a conviction against a foreign national, a Lebanese man for sexual exploitation.

“For the first time on the 18th of March 2024, 5 defendants comprising Alliance Hospital, doctors, recruiter and broker, were arraigned in court for an alleged case of organ harvesting in this instance kidney harvesting.”

She however noted that despite the progress, human trafficking remains an ongoing threat that requires partnership with stakeholders to design creative solutions to understand and tackle the crime.

Also speaking, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi described human trafficking as a crime that violates basic human rights of people.

He noted that traffickers take advantage of people who are poor, uneducated, and unemployed, adding that the crime has damaged the reputation of Nigerians in the international community.

He however said President Bola Tinubu’s led government knows that addressing poverty and underdevelopment was crucial in preventing human trafficking.

Fabemi said: “Human trafficking preys on the most vulnerable members of our society and demands a holistic and concerted response from all sectors. The complexity of counter-human trafficking efforts in Nigeria lies in the intricacies of our social fabric and the trans-national nature of the crime.

“Traffickers exploit the vulnerabilities of people, leveraging poverty, lack of education, and unemployment to ensnare their victims with promises of a better life.

“The porous nature of our borders and the sophisticated networks of these criminals further compound the challenge of combatting this menace.

“Nigeria, with her rich cultures and peoples, unfortunately serves as a source, transit and destination country for victims of human trafficking. This menace has occasioned great damage to the reputation or profiling of Nigeria in the international community.

“The statistics paint a grim picture, but behind each number lies the stories of those whose freedom and dignity have been truncated. Yet, amidst these challenges, hope remains, and we must reverse this ugly trend.”

He however noted that efforts are ongoing to combat the crime. “We must acknowledge the outstanding efforts of Nigeria in operating a unique counter-trafficking model emulated by other African countries. Nigeria has demonstrated its commitments through not only in high number of convictions but also with the successful rescue and rehabilitation of thousands of victims alongside strategic preventive measures.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led government recognizes that addressing poverty and underdevelopment is crucial in preventing human trafficking. Investing in people, especially young people and the disadvantaged, reduces the desperation that drives individuals into exploitation abroad.

“The government remains committed to scaling social investment programs to provide livelihood support, deterring potential victims from falling prey to traffickers”.

Fagbemi while stating that the fight against human trafficking cannot be shouldered by a single Agency or Arm of government, called on everyone to join hands to tackle human trafficking at all levels.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said it has uncovered a ploy by some suspected human traffickers to lure Nigerians with fake jobs in Ghana, Ivory Coast, and other countries in West Africa.

The Agency explained that the suspected traffickers exploit coordinated global brand trademarks and present unrealistic oil and gas job offers to traffic youths and other groups of people to neighbouring countries in the region for various forms of exploitation.

NAPTIP said victims are enticed with promises of monthly incomes of $900 under the guise of lucrative employment opportunities in gold mining and oil companies.

According to the agency, the victims are trafficked through the waterways of Ode Jetty in Lagos en route to Benin Republic and other parts of the West African region

It added that some victims are also trafficked through the land routes.

The Director-General of NAPTIP, Prof Fatima Waziri-Azi, revealed this at the Agency’s Headquarters in Abuja while discussing emerging trends in human trafficking for the year 2024.

Giving details of how the traffickers operate, Waziri-Azi in a statement in Abuja by the Communication Officer of NAPTIP, Adekoye Vincent stated: “NAPTIP has uncovered a new ploy by some suspected human traffickers who are exploiting coordinated global brand trademarks and offering unrealistic Oil and Gas job offers to traffic unsuspecting youths and other classes of people to neighbouring West African countries for various forms of exploitation.

“In recent times, NAPTIP has redoubled its efforts through enhanced partnership, collaboration, diligent prosecution, and extensive awareness campaigns aimed at bolstering its operations, resulting in a significant increase in convictions of human traffickers.

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“As part of our comprehensive enlightenment strategies to equip Nigerians with timely and accurate information to reduce their vulnerability, we have received reports indicating that traffickers have adopted new tactics to lure unsuspecting victims, predominantly to Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, and other West African nations.”

Waziri–Azi added: “Under the guise of lucrative employment opportunities in gold mining and oil companies, victims are enticed with promises of monthly incomes as high as $900.00, which, as always, are blatant lies.”

“Victims are often instructed to bring up to N850,000 for documentation and other logistical expenses. Upon arrival at their destination, traffickers confiscate this money, along with the victims’ phones and other personal belongings.”

On the category of people targetted, she said: “The targeted demographic includes male and female victims aged between 15 and 35 years old.

“They are typically trafficked through the waterways of Ode Jetty in Lagos en route to Benin Republic and other parts of the West African region. Some victims are also trafficked via land routes.”

Prof. Waziri-Azi while calling on Nigerians to be careful, stated: “I urge you to exercise caution, ask questions, and seek a second opinion before accepting any tempting offers. Do not allow desperation to cloud your judgment.”

She expressed NAPTIP’s commitment to combating human trafficking and protecting the rights and dignity of all Nigerians.