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Tag: NAPTIP

  • Probe teenager’s ‘rape’ by two friends, group tells NAPTIP

    Probe teenager’s ‘rape’ by two friends, group tells NAPTIP

    A group, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) has petitioned the Zonal Commander, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Enugu Zonal, for an investigation into the alleged continuous defilement of a 14-year-old girl by her mistress’ husband, Charles Nnaike and his friend.

    In the letter to NAPTIP dated January 29, and signed by the President of CRRAN, Olu Omotayo, the group alleged that Nnaike had been defiling the girl since 2019 she started staying in his house.

    It was gathered that Mr. Nnaike’s wife, Mrs. Blessing had approached the survivor’s mother (names withheld) who’s her schoolmate at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), to allow her daughter to stay with her because she had a baby.

    Nnaike was said to have continued the alleged act from 2019 until last Thursday when he got exposed.

    The petition in part alleged that the Nnaikes did not allow the minor to visit her parents since she moved in with them at their Thinkers’ Corner, Emene, Old Road, Enugu, adding that it was on Thursday, January 25, that the child got a phone while her bosses were at work, called her mother and narrated what she was passing through.

    It alleged that Nnaike started defiling the survivor when she was in primary six and that she has not been going to school for some time.

    “Anytime she said no, Charles would squeeze her hand, beat her up and tell her that “not after paying your school fees you will not allow me to enjoy myself”.

    “According to Mrs. Ozioko, her child also narrated how Charles forced one of his friends to sleep with her and made a video of them and told the child that if she said anything to anybody he will post the video on the internet.

    Read Also: NAPTIP rescues 41 trafficking victims, arrests 18 in Anambra

    “The child further stated that a fortnight ago Charles tried to rape her again and she screamed loud so that somebody will hear them fortunately her auntie’s daughter heard her crying and shouting and told her mom.

    “When Mrs. Blessing Nnaike asked the child and she told her that her husband used to rape her almost every day. She thereafter told the child that she must not say it outside and she must not let her mother know, if not she will kill her and bury her and nobody will come for her, and that she’s a witch, that she’s the one seducing her husband and want to collect her husband from her and ruin her marriage; and she stripped her naked and flogged her”.

    Condemning the acts in its entirety, the group appealed to NAPTIP to ensure justice for the child whose rights were gravely infringed upon.

    The letter, which was also copied to Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, continued:  “In view of the priority given to the rights of children by this government, we bring the above for your information and necessary action.

    “We urge Your Excellency to ensure that all concerned authorities take urgent necessary actions to ensure that the case is promptly, impartially and effectively investigated to ensure that the perpetrators are punished according to the law and the victim accorded justice including adequate medical care and reparation”.

  • NAPTIP rescues 41 trafficking victims, arrests 18 in Anambra

    NAPTIP rescues 41 trafficking victims, arrests 18 in Anambra

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Friday, January 12, said it rescued 41 victims of human trafficking and arrested 18 suspected traffickers in Anambra state in 2023.

    The public relations officer of the agency in the state, Anthony Okafor, who disclosed this in a statement, said a total of 25 human trafficking cases were reported to the agency in the year under review.

    According to him, out of 25 cases, 7 were being prosecuted, while 17 others are still under investigation.

    While revealing that no conviction of suspects under trial was secured in 2023, Okafor appealed to citizens to promptly report suspicious activities to NAPTIP, assuring of the agency’s readiness to establish authenticity or otherwise of the suspicion.

    Read Also: Immigration arrests, hands over 522 trafficked persons to NAPTIP

    He stated: “What we expect from the citizenry is a prompt reporting of cases when they happen in line with the slogan that says when you see something, you say something.

    “We encourage the public to always report cases of human trafficking to NAPTIP and such cases will be handled professionally while the offenders are diligently prosecuted.”

    The PRO appreciated the state government’s support and assistance, calling for its sustenance to boost the fight against human trafficking in the state.

    He added: “We cannot do it alone. But with government cooperation and support, cases of human trafficking will be reduced to the barest minimum in the state.”

  • NAPTIP: Human trafficking has witnessed alarming transformation

    NAPTIP: Human trafficking has witnessed alarming transformation

    The Director General (DG) of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi said human trafficking in Nigeria has witnessed an alarming transformation in the past five years.

    She said traffickers have expanded their operations, infiltrating the online sphere as much as the offline world.

    Waziri-Azi explained that this shift has brought forth new and unsettling trends that are reshaping the human trafficking ecosystem, compelling the government to revolutionize its strategies in response to the disturbing developments.

    The DG said this yesterday in Abuja, at the project launch of promoting evidence-based anti-trafficking efforts in Nigeria project, being done by the Innovation for Poverty Action (IPA) in collaboration with NAPTIP and supported by the United States (US) Department of State Program to End Modern Day Slavery.

    Read Also: Tempers flare as Tompolo’s Tantita, soldiers foil oil theft off Ondo coast

    She said the collaboration would help enhance anti-human trafficking, evidenced based interventions.

    Her words, “This collaboration is very essential, it is one that would help enhance anti-human trafficking, evidenced based interventions. We know that in the past five years, we’ve witnessed an alarming transformation in the landscape of human trafficking in Nigeria. It’s no longer confined to its conventional, familiar form.

    “Traffickers have expanded their operations, infiltrating the online sphere as much as the offline world. And this shift has brought forth new and unsettling trends that are reshaping the human trafficking ecosystem, compelling us to revolutionise our strategies in response to these disturbing developments.

    “As the antics of human traffickers change, our laws, policies and strategies must also change, if we want to effectively tackle this scourge and we can’t do that with intuition or guess work, we can only do that with reliable and verifiable data and statistics.

  • Soldiers, NAPTIP rescue seven expectant mothers, nine babies

    Soldiers, NAPTIP rescue seven expectant mothers, nine babies

    Soldiers of the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s Barracks, 14 Brigade Headquarters of the Nigerian Army, Ohafia, in Ohafia Local Government of Abia State have reportedly rescued seven expectant mothers at a yet-to-be named maternity home.

    The operation, our correspondent gathered, was carried out by personnel of 14 Brigade attached to 144 Battalion, in conjunction with officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

    Read Also: Bianca carpets Igbo leaders for abandoning Ojukwu’s legacies

    Our correspondent learnt that the operation took place in Osisioma Local Government.

    Sources within the 14 Brigade, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that the personnel and NAPTIP officials during the raid rescued seven expectant mothers at the maternity home suspected to be part of a child-trafficking syndicate.

    It was gathered that the team also rescued nine children and arrested three personnel: 33-year-old Ebere Daniel (male) and two females, 60-year-old Mrs. Ebere Chibuzor Margaret and 26-year-old Esther Madu, said to be a worker of the home accused of engaging in human trafficking.

  • Trafficking: NAPTIP trains principals, school counsellors on red flags

    Trafficking: NAPTIP trains principals, school counsellors on red flags

    Principals and school counsellors in secondary schools around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)  have been trained  National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)  on the red flags to watch  out for when dealing with possible trafficked students and those experiencing domestic and sexual based violence.

    The agency’s Director General  Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi said a similar training that was held last year yielded a lot results in reportage from schools within the year and the agency is considering making such trainings a yearly occurrence.

    The DG said this  in Abuja at a two days interactive sessions for principals, counsellors and teachers of secondary schools in the FCT in the red flags to look out for in students.

    She said that most students enrolled in Public secondary schools in the FCT are house helps or living with someone other than their parents and can be victims of labour trafficking.

    She added:”Well, what we hope to achieve is to enhance  the capacity of teachers, principals and counsellors and opening their eyes to these issues making them understand that issues of violence against persons with human trafficking happens in and outside school, how they can recognise red flags and also knowing what the referral pathways are and also the reporting channels.

    “Last year we did the first training, which was the first in I think, seven or eight years and we got very positive feedback from everyone. And we also saw the feedback in a number of reportage that we were beginning to see from schools and we made a management decision that this is a capacity building, we will hold every year,

    “And when we talk about human trafficking, it takes different forms. Most times when you ask people what do you do about human trafficking the first thing they do tell you is that human trafficking is prostitution, which is wrong. Human trafficking is not just prostitution or just sexual exploitation.

    “Human trafficking is also labour exploitation, domestic servitude, when you go and carry somebody’s child, keep the person in your house and be treating the person as a slave or when somebody is working for you and you pay their money to someone else or when people are trafficked for their organs to be removed, or when people find themselves in the slavery of slavery, like activities, for instance, when somebody works for you, out of 24 hours, that person works for 20 hours or 28 hours a day. “That in itself is slavery or way you use children to do work they are not supposed to do that, in itself, is human trafficking. So we know that issues of violence against persons or human trafficking happens in and outside schools, So it is your responsibility to understand what these issues are to recognise the red flags, not only recognise the red flag, teachers should look out for children that come to school looking haggard, that have nothing to eat when others are eating or sleeping in class.

    Read Also: Anambra cleric involved in illegal adoption of 20 kids handed over to NAPTIP

    “Because we know that most of all these governments schools are filled with children that work as house helps in other peoples homes.

    “NAPTIP has been establishing what we call trafficking in persons and violence against persons vanguard in secondary schools across Nigeria and as at today we’ve established this vanguards in 88 federal government unity schools, command secondary schools, government schools and a few weeks ago at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) school for the deaf, the vanguard is a platform for young children to educate themselves in not just issues of human trafficking, violence against persons but also on bullying whether online or offline, cultism in schools and also other vices.”

  • Victims’ interference impeding traffickers’ prosecution – NAPTIP

    Victims’ interference impeding traffickers’ prosecution – NAPTIP

    National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has identified interference of victims of suspected traffickers as one of the major challenges militating against their prosecution.

    Director, Training and Manpower Development, NAPTIP, Orakwue Arinze disclosed this in Awka, Anambra State during a 2-day consultative workshop with stakeholders on developing approaches to combating trafficking in persons.

    The workshop organized by NAPTIP in collaboration with the USAID-SCALE Project and Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) was attended by representatives of CSOs, NGOs, ASATU women executives, and security agencies amongst others.

    Read Also: Anambra CP vows to deal with cultists, their sponsors over killings

    He also listed inadequate resources, lack of periodic intervention funds, limited support from states as well as absence of a budget line for the implementation of the Violent Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act in the federal capital territory as challenges confronting the Agency.

    He reassured the Agency’s commitment to ensure culprits were brought to justice for their crimes against others, infringement or affront on the law.

    He said, “One of the factors militating against prosecution to such laws has been interference of the victims who will come with excuses of family influence, pressure, requesting we should simply warn the culprit and dismiss him.

    “NAPTIP doesn’t warn culprits, we take them to court because that is the law. Ours is to ensure culprits are brought to justice for their crimes against others or infringement or affront on the law.

    “Besides, it’s not NAPTIP’s responsibility to appear before the court, but the culprit and victims that would explain what happened. But when the victims refuse to allow the law to take its full course, it becomes a challenge.

    Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ify Obinabo regretted growing cases of child trafficking in the state, describing Anambra’s location and ‘cash flow’ as major attractions of traffickers to the state.

    She said, “It was said that Anambra houses the largest market in West Africa. That will give you an insight into why the rush to the state. Everyone wants to partake in the supposed cash flow of the state, legally or otherwise.

    “The traffickers will lure their victims with the impression they have solutions to all their problems. The gullible ones, who mostly are not from the state, are trapped.

    While identifying funding as a major challenge in tackling cases of trafficking and other related cases, the commissioner canvassed support from parents, Civil Society Organisations, and religious and traditional leaders in fighting the scourge.

    Earlier, Social Protection Advisor, Palladium International, Barr. Eric Umoru said his organisation was taking necessary steps to check cases of trafficking in persons in the zone, urging participants to implement knowledge from the engagement towards reducing the menace to the barest minimum.

    “Recently, we’ve been getting reports of growing cases of trafficking in the state. We felt it was important to engage stakeholders to develop local solutions and action plans to the menace,” he said.

    Also speaking, the National President,  Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), Abdulganiyu Abubakar called on parents to be vigilant and ensure proper education of their children, just as he called for the government to increase engagement with Civil Societies and media for grassroots’ advocacy.

  • NAPTIP, ARK group conclude bus campaign against human trafficking

    NAPTIP, ARK group conclude bus campaign against human trafficking

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) at the weekend concluded the second edition of its dynamic bus campaign against human trafficking in the country.

    The agency got a technical assistance from the ARK Group, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (a department of the Government of Canada).

    The bus campaign intends to raise awareness and educate the public, particularly road travellers and critical stakeholders in the road transportation value chain (drivers, ticket sales operators, terminal managers, security officials, cleaners, e.t.c.), about the effects, dangers, and signs of trafficking in persons.

    Read Also:NAPTIP secures 128 convictions in 19 months

    The strategic aim of this approach is to recruit and empower these stakeholders as first-line responders with the capacity and knowledge to detect, protect, and report suspected cases of trafficking of at-risk individuals, including the various safe routes for reporting such cases.

    Human trafficking remains a serious issue in Nigeria, with NAPTIP statistics from 2019 to 2022 revealing that 61% of human trafficking cases occur internally within the country, while 39% are generated from cross-border trafficking, primarily through land borders and by means of road transportation.

    The campaign, which was conducted at four strategic bus terminal locations in Lagos State, attracted over 450 road transport stakeholders who were sensitised and educated on the signs and options for reporting suspected cases of trafficking in persons.

    Leading the sensitisation campaign, Mr. Josiah Emerole, Director of Research and Programme Development Department, NAPTIP, informed transport operators of the need to be careful with those they carry in their vehicles; if they are found to be facilitators of human trafficking, it could lead to the closure of their business and prosecution.

    Mrs. Ijeoma Amugo, Director of Violence Against Persons’ (VAPP) Department, NAPTIP, who participated in the campaign activities, stated that “people need to realise that children under the age of 12 who are under their roof and are exploited for labour could turn out to be violent members of society—this is why NAPTIP is against this crime.

    “The impactful bus campaign is designed to recruit all Nigerians and particularly large road transportation companies in the fight against trafficking in persons and modern-day slavery. The commitment to end TiP cannot and is not the responsibility of the government alone. It requires a whole-of-society approach, which includes the private sector represented by the partnering bus companies: Young Shall Grow, Chisco Transport, GUO Transport, and Ifesinachi Motors.

    The determination and resilience of NAPTIP to protect the wellbeing and welfare of vulnerable populations susceptible to trafficking is the reason why they are our partner of choice, Emmanuel Bosah, ARK Group added.

    The collaboration between NAPTIP and the ARK Group continues on social media, as citizens are encouraged to follow the campaign on social media using the hashtag #NigeriansAgainstTrafficking and actively participate in spreading awareness to create a safer society and protect vulnerable individuals from the clutches of human trafficking.

    NAPTIP was created on July 14, 2003 by the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2003.

    The act is the Federal Government’s response to addressing the scourge of trafficking in persons. It is a fulfillment of the country’s international obligation under the Trafficking in Persons Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, supplementing the United Nations Transnational Organized Crime Convention (UNTOC).

    ARK Group is a research, conflict transformation and stabilisation consultancy that supports local communities in conflict and fragile areas.

    We believe that international stability, national security, community safety and individual empowerment are intrinsically linked.

    ARK partners with local stakeholders to provide insight and develop programmes that are of immediate, tangible assistance to conflict-affected communities.

  • NAPTIP partners NUJ to battle human trafficking

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other related offences (NAPTIP) has called for collaboration with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the fight against human trafficking in Sokoto state.

    NAPTIP Zonal Commander in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Mr Tahir Hassan, said this yesterday when he led officials of the agency on a visit to NUJ Sokoto State council.

    Hassan said the partnership with journalists was necessary in view of the important role they play in Information dissemination as well as sensitising residents of the state on the dangers associated with human trafficking.

    He explained that the usual cases rampant in the zone include child abuse, exploitation and maltreatment of minors that sometimes come with bodily injuries.

    The NAPTIP commander said that partnership with stakeholders was among the agency’s working direction as others included prevention and prosecution.

    He said the public awareness on the agency’s mandates were desirable at all times.

    Hassan also said the agency recorded five convictions last year while a number of cases were still pending before the Federal High Court.

    The commander further said that the agency successfully rescued hundreds of trafficked victims who were rehabilitated and reunited with their respective families.

    He said it was regrettable that traffickers had adopted states in the zone as a transit route in spite of the agency’s sustained onslaught on them in collaboration with other sister agencies and relevant stakeholders.

    He described NUJ as one of the critical stakeholders in the struggle because the media’s role was to educate, enlighten and sensitise the public.

    “We believe, you will help us sensitise the public on the danger of trafficking, this is the reason why we are here to solicit for your support and cooperation,” Hassan added.

    Responding, the chairman of the Sokoto state council of NUJ, Malam Isa Shuni, challenged the agency to redouble its effort in eradicating the menace.

    Shuni noted with dismay how some parents give out their children to be used as housemaids or servants, which in most cases lead to their exploitation and abuse.

    “This is very sad because they are being denied the right to acquire education and become meaningful persons to the society,” he said.

  • Human trafficking: Edo, NAPTIP strategise to reduce menace

    …as NAPTIP applauds Obaseki’s tactics for curbing menace 

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his administration will collaborate with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), to reduce the menace of irregular migration and human trafficking by 50 per cent by the end of 2019.

    The governor made the submission during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, to the Government House, in Benin City, Edo State capital.

    READ ALSO: Obaseki targets 50 percent reduction in irregular migration, human trafficking

    Obaseki said as part of efforts to tackle the scourge of human trafficking and irregular migration, the state government established a task force, noting, “As a government, we have admitted to the huge challenges we face and we decided to set-up a task force to provide local solutions to the issue.

    NAPTIP and Edo State Government are working closely to reduce irregular migration and human trafficking by 50 per cent by the end of this year and if I am governor for eight years, it will reduce to zero.”

    He urged donor agencies to support efforts of the state to address the problems faced by returnees, noting, “We are working to pressure foreign government to create legitimate travel windows that will enable them travel legally.”

    The Director-General of NAPTIP commended Governor Obaseki for his commitment to eradicating human trafficking as illustrated in his strategies, including the setting-up of the Edo State Task Force Against Human Trafficking.

    “The successes already recorded by the Taskforce justify the foresight of your excellency and have inspired NAPTIP to encourage other state governments to set up similar institution of government, in order to consolidate on the efforts of NAPTIP and other stakeholders,” the NAPTIP boss added.

  • NAPTIP arrests three suspected traffickers

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Kogi State Command, has arrested three suspected human traffickers.

    The suspects, identified as Evelyn Jerry, 27, Stephen Rebecca, 30, and Richard Patrick, 38, were intercepted by soldiers along Lokoja-Abuja Road with children between the ages of three and 13 crammed into an eight-seater bus marked JJN964XB,  NAPTIP said in a statement yesterday.

    Spokesperson Nneka Aniagoh said the suspects and victims were first handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Lokoja, which later handed them over to NAPTIP.

    She said the victims were taken from Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and moved to Ekpoma in Edo State as domestic helps.

    Aniagoh said the suspects claimed the victims’ parents gave consent for them to be given out as domestic helps, adding that the suspects and victims were from the same town.

    “They claimed that the parents of the 14 children gave consent to take them and send them to households for domestic labour.

    “The Director-General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, expressed sincere appreciation to the officers of the Nigerian Army and the NIS for their contributory efforts in the interception, rescue and hand-over of the victims and suspects,” said Aniagoh.

    Quoting the DG, she said the national referral mechanism being put in place by NAPTIP and relevant agencies aimed to achieve synergy in stopping human trafficking.

    “Dame Okah-Donli takes this opportunity to warn the public that the Trafficking In Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, prohibits the employment of children below the age of 12 as domestic workers, and warns that those found culpable will be severely dealt with.

    “The NAPTIP DG says such acts fuel the incidence of child exploitative labour and the agency will not tolerate such abuse on our children. The suspects will definitely be arraigned upon completion of preliminary investigations,” Aniagoh said.