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Tag: National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)

  • NAPTIP arrests four suspects, rescues 17 victims in Onitsha hotel

    NAPTIP arrests four suspects, rescues 17 victims in Onitsha hotel

    • By Precious Igbonwelundu and Elekwachi Chinedum, Onitsha

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested four suspected human traffickers and rescued 17 victims during a raid on a popular hotel in the 33 Area of Onitsha, Anambra State.

    The operation, carried out with support from the military, followed credible intelligence indicating the presence of underage girls at the facility. Two additional suspects linked to alleged baby trafficking in the South East were also apprehended.

    NAPTIP said four of the rescued victims tested positive for HIV and are receiving counselling and care from the agency, with support from volunteers of the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA).

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    Investigations showed that residents had raised concerns about suspicious activities at the hotel, including the frequent influx of men and the presence of underage girls. The victims reportedly said they were recruited from Benue, Imo, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom states and trafficked to Onitsha for prostitution, with daily remittances demanded by their handlers.

    NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, expressed concern over the victims’ plight, particularly their health condition. She thanked the military and the Gender and Human Rights State Response Team under ANSACA for their collaboration.

    Bello said NAPTIP had launched a manhunt for the alleged “madam” who confiscated antiretroviral drugs given to the victims and barred them from accessing medical care, describing the act as criminal. She added that the owner of the hotel had been invited for interrogation as investigations continue.

    The Director-General reiterated the agency’s commitment to intensifying efforts against human trafficking nationwide.

  • Nigeria, Niger sign anti-human trafficking pact

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and its Niger Republic counterpart have signed a pact to eliminate the menace in both countries.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAPTIP signed the agreement with Nigerien Agency Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (ANLTP/TIM) at a dinner event on Thursday in Abuja.

    In a communique signed by heads of both agencies, Nigeria and Niger agreed to work together to stamp out the evil of human trafficking from both countries.

    Ms Julie Okah-Donli, Director General of NAPTIP, signed on behalf of Nigeria, while her Nigerien counterpart, Madame Goge Maimouna Gazbo, signed for her country.
    Among agreements in the communiqué are finalisation and signing of a memorandum of understanding on the collaboration and organisation of joint sensitisation across border communities of both countries.
    Both agencies also agreed to establish a joint technical working group to work together in the area of investigation and training of counsellors and social workers on how to deal with trafficked victims, amongst others.

    Read Also: ‘Nigeria needs N16.1b for food security’

    Speaking at the event, the MAPTIP DG expressed confidence that the collaboration would achieve positive result.
    “I believe that going forward, we have developed strategies for more successful approaches to stemming the tide of human trafficking from our countries.

    “This strong collaboration and partnership by both countries in the fight against human trafficking promises to be very effective and mutually rewarding,” she said.

    She thanked the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) for facilitating the event.
    The Nigerien anti trafficking boss, Maimouma Gazbo, also expressed confidence on the effectiveness of the partnership.
    The high point of the event was award presentation to both Okah- Donli and Maimouna Gazbo by the ICMPD, represented by Mrs Moji Sodeinde.
    NAN reports that officials of the Nigerien anti human trafficking agency have been in Nigeria for the past one week to work out cooperation and collaboration terms with NAPTIP.
    NAPTIP had earlier on Thursday unveiled an anti human trafficking module to be introduced into basic and senior secondary school currricular.
    NAN

  • 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.

  • Army rescues 14 children from traffickers

    Soldiers have rescued 14 children aged three to 13 years from traffickers.

    The human traffickers, two women- Evelyn Jerry, 27, and Stephen Rebecca, 30, as well as a man, Richard Patrick, 38, were arrested and handed to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

    A representative of the Press and Public Relations Unit of NAPTIP, Nneka Aniagoh, said this in a statement yesterday.

    She said the victims comprising nine females and five males were crammed into an eight-seater bus, Alhambra Sedan, with Plateau State registration number JJN 964XB, where they struggled for space, adding that they were taken from Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and heading for Ekpoma in Edo State.

    NAPTIP Director-General Dame Julie Okah-Donli thanked officers of the Army and Nigeria Immigration Services for their efforts in rescuing the victims.

    She told 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 warned that those found culpable would be severely dealt with.

     

  • All -female Air Peace crew foils trafficking of three-day-old baby

     

    An eagle-eyed Air Peace all-female crew on Sunday frustrated an attempt by a middle-aged woman and her collaborators to traffic a three-day-old boy through the Port Harcourt Airport to Lagos.

    The crew consists of Captain Sinmisola Ajibola; Senior First Officer Onohi Agboighale; Mojoko Ewane; Taiye Abbey; Victoria Ukpiaifo and Ngozi Ezeamaka

    The suspect had booked Air Peace Port Harcourt-Lagos Flight P4 7393 on Sunday.

    During boarding, the Lead Crew of the flight, Mojoko Ewane, observed the suspect was handling the baby in an awkward manner and decided to question her.

    When she was questioned at the boarding door of the aircraft, the suspect claimed the baby was three- day- old.

    She, however, later told her interrogators that the baby was born on January 5, a day before her aborted trip.

    The suspect said she gave birth to the baby shortly after travelling from Lagos to Port Harcourt on an Air Peace flight on January 5.

    A call was later placed to the contact numbers the suspect said belonged to her husband and the doctor who handled the birth of the child.

    While the alleged husband claimed that his wife was actually pregnant, the alleged doctor’s number rang unanswered.

    When the suspect was asked to breastfeed the baby, she could not as there was no breast milk.

    The suspect tried to create a scene, rallying other passengers on the flight to prevail on Air Peace crew to allow her fly but the crew stood their ground.

    When the crew informed the suspect the carrier’s standard operating procedure barred them from allowing passengers fly with a week-old baby on grounds of health, she claimed to be a nurse and insisted the baby’s health would not be jeopardised.

    The airline, it was gathered, later invited personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Port Harcourt Airport to take over the case for further investigation.

    Air Peace Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying the airline was proud its crew professionally discharged their responsibility to ensure passengers’ safety and assist government in fighting crime.

    A DSS source in Port Harcourt also confirmed the suspect had been transferred to the zonal office of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for further handling.

     

    The source claimed the suspect confessed a lady gave her the baby.

    The DSS source commended Air Peace crew for foiling the attempted child trafficking with their vigilance.

    In June 2018, Air Peace crew also exposed a suspected trafficker of a three-month-old baby on its Lagos-Banjul flight.

     

  • Human Trafficking: NAPTIP to use entertainment to raise awareness

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it will explore the entertainment industry to create awareness on combating human trafficking in the country.

    Director-General of NAPTIP, Ms Julie Okah-Donli, stated this while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Heatfactory ICI Production and Otabor TV in Abuja on Friday.

    Okah-Donli explained that in the past, the agency explored industry sector by partnering Wale Adenuga Productions to produce one of the popular super stories, Itohan, to raise awareness on dangers of human trafficking.

    She said that the impact such production had on awareness creation was huge and prominent.

    According to her, the agency is seeking for ways to replicate the same in Nollywood.

    “It is a thing of joy to engage with Heatfactory ICI Productions and Otabor TV to bring such emotional and captivating stories to the screens.

    “We are willing and poised to extend a hand of partnership to any organisation ready to assist us spread the anti-human trafficking message to the world.

    “The agency will continue its advocacy and sensitisation on the need to protect our youth from human trafficking; we therefore implore members of the public to be our eyes and ears.

    Read Also:Human trafficking: Edo, group warn against menace

     

    “This they will do by spreading the anti-human trafficking message to all and sundry and report suspected cases of human trafficking,” she said.

    In his remarks, the Director of Heatfactory ICI productions and Otabor TV, Mr Ideh Innocent, said that Nigerians must come together to tackle the menace of human trafficking.

    Innocent stated that women and children were more vulnerable to human trafficking in the country hence the need for collective effort to stem it.

    “It is time for people on the continent of Africa to come together to save the lives of the future of Africa”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the signing of the MOU was witnessed by Ghanaian popular actor, John Dumelo.

  • 10,500 Nigerians rescued from Libya

    …As FG rescue 10 potential Russia bond-trafficking victims

     

    So far, over 10,500 Nigerians have been rescued from Libya.

    This number includes the 3500 so far rescued by the Federal Government and over 7000 rescued by the International Organization for Migration.

    Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Dame Julie Okah-Donli explained that the figure might not do justice to the real figure because returnees are brought back almost every week.

    She said that the agency has so far recorded 359 convictions against traffickers since inception and 43 this year alone.

    The DG also revealed that ten potential Russia bond human trafficking victims where rescued at the Lagos airport on their way out.

    Address newsmen yesterday in Abuja, at a press conference to mark the agencies 15th anniversary and the 2018 World day against human trafficking.

    Okah-Donli added that the agency has written to the Ministry of Sports, inviting people who returned from the world cup in Russia to report to them.

    Her words, “With regards to Libya so far we gave been able to rescue 3500, IOM has rescued over 7000 it’s a work in progress so giving figures might not be doing justice because almost every week we have returnees to Nigeria so it is not easy to just pin a figure at it because we may get a plane tomorrow or the next.

    Read Also: Another batch of 160 Nigerians return from Libya

    “For the reintegration of the victims we have ten shelters, we give them psychosocial support, those who want to go to school are given the opportunity, those who want acquire some skills, they do that and we reintegrate them back into the society at the end of the day.

    “Success rate of conviction, as of today 359 convictions, we have made thousands of arrests, prosecutions, investigations but so far we have gotten 359 convictions in 15years and 43 in the last one year.

    “On the issue of the world cup, we have written to the Ministry of Sports to invite those who left for the World cup and returned to report themselves to NAPTIP so that we will be sure they have returned, for those who have returned whose return tickets where cancelled because about 150 or so came back a gew weeks ago and claimed their tickets where cancelled which got them stranded and the Federal Government had to bring them back, for people like that we need to find out who bought the ticket for them, iur investigation officers know what to do and we wont spare anyone found wanting because the question is if you intended for them not to come back, then what was the idea behind it?

    “For Russia 2018, ten potential victims of trafficking where rescued on their way out from the Lagos airport, five suspects where arrested and more arrest have been made also, we are still investigating and prosecution is to commence very soon.”

  • Court jails human trafficker in Edo

    An Edo State High Court has sentenced one Ehigie Richard to seven years imprisonment for trafficking people to Russia.

    Richard was arraigned on a four- count charge of recruitment of a person by means of abuse, position of vulnerability and facilitation and exportation of persons for prostitution, contrary to various provisions of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

    He was said to have recruited one female victim identified as Miss X, and trafficked her to Russia where she was exploited.

    A statement signed by Zonal Commander of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Nduka Nwanwenne said the victim was taken to the shrine, where an oath of secrecy was administered on her and asked to pay back the sum $55,000 for a period between six months and one year.

    Nduka explained that the victim was warned not to run away or report her madam in Russia to the police of failed to pay the money or the oath would make her go mad.

    He said the case against the accused was investigated with the collaboration of Joint Border Task Force (JBTF) – a multi-disciplinary crime fighting task force.

    Read Also:Immigration arrests four human traffickers, rescues 38 victims in Katsina

    According to the statement, “On arrival in Russia, her phone and international passport were seized by her madam, Bridget, and her boyfriend, Kingsley. The madam allegedly opened a website for prostitutes for the victim, where her information and pictures were downloaded.

    “Customers usually check and call for appointments. A notebook was procured for the recording of all earnings. Similarly, the victim was made to pay 10,000 rubble for rent and 50,000 rubble to service the website.

    “Before the victim threw in the towel, she had paid $40,000 to her madam. On the day the victim escaped, her madam went out to shop. She used the opportunity to run to one of her Russian friend, who took her to the Nigeria Embassy in Moscow, before she returned to Nigeria.

    Delivering his judgment, Justice Alero Edodo- Erauga, said the law must have its way despite the accused plea for leniency and not wasting the time of the court.

    Justice Alero sentenced the accused to one year imprisonment on count one or a fine of N250, 000 while the accused was sentenced to two years imprisonment each on other counts or a fine of N1m on each count.

    The jail term is to run concurrently.

    Director- General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okha –Donli, said all traffickers who indulged in taking victims for exploitation would be made to answer for their crimes.

    She advised human traffickers to desist from their nefarious acts and redirect their energy to positive ventures.

  • Ireland lauds Obaseki’s reintegration plan for Libya returnees 

    Impressed by the Edo State government’s holistic plan for receiving and reintegrating Libya returnees, the  Ambassador of Ireland to Nigeria, Sean Hoy, has expressed his country’s readiness to collaborate with the state government in training the returnees on technical and vocational skills to become self-reliant and employers of labour.

    The envoy disclosed this when he led a delegation of Irish diplomats on a courtesy visit to the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State.

    He commended the efforts of the governor at curbing illegal migration and human trafficking, noting, and “Providing the youths with means through which they can acquire skills is a significant step in curbing illegal migration, modern-day slavery and human trafficking”.

    “We have identified ways we can assist the state in training these youths. We are in talks with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on the training of returnees. We want the returnees in Edo State to benefit from the programme.

    “It is important for us to show love and empathy to the returnees and assist them to acquire skills which will provide them with opportunities to seek gainful employment,” he added.

    In his response,  Governor Obaseki said the state government has a comprehensive work plan with clear strategies for curbing illegal migration which includes providing youths with technical and vocational skills.

    He said his administration is partnering with the European Union (EU) to empower the youths. He commended the Irish Government for offering to support the state government in empowering Edo youths.

    The governor told his guests that statistics gotten from about 3,082 returnees of Edo State origin showed that 77 per cent were males; 79 per cent of the returnees sponsored themselves for the journey; while 81 per cent of them embarked on illegal migration voluntarily.

     

  • NAPTIP cautions Nigerians against fake online publications on recruitment

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP ) has cautioned Nigerians to disregard the online publications purporting that it is currently recruiting workers.

    Mr Josiah Emerole, NAPTIP’s Head of Press and Public Relations who gave the warning in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said the agency was not recruiting.

    “Our attention has been drawn to online publications announcing a purported recruitment of personnel at NAPTIP for 2018/2019.

    “For the records, there is no recruitment exercise going on in NAPTIP at present and the advertisement online is fake and fraudulent.

    “Members of the public are therefore urged to disregard this fraudulent claims and announcements,” he said.

    Emerole explained that if the agency was carrying out any recruitment, it would duly inform the public through appropriate channels.

    He advised the public not patronise anyone that approached them with such an offer or pay money to anyone for employment as NAPTIP had nothing to do with such people.

    NAN