•Other agencies should learn from its disciplinary actions
As an agency set up by the Federal Government to tackle human trafficking and other related matters in Nigeria, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) is, like Caesar’s wife, expected to be above board. By its very nature, it interfaces with other agencies outside of the country. Therefore, the way its officials carry out their functions has implications for global trust, which is very essential in measuring its efficiency.
This is why we commend the management of the agency over the disciplinary measures it took against six of its personnel who were found wanting in the line of duty. Some of them were sacked for arranging professional sureties for suspects for a fee and providing information about the operations of NAPTIP to outsiders, also for a fee. Some were sacked for accepting bribes and aiding the escape of suspects, while others were sacked for making sexual advances to victims of trafficking as a condition for rendering service to them. All of these run afoul of the civil service regulations. As a matter of fact, one of them was even retired compulsorily.
According to Mrs Stella Nezan, NAPTIP’s head of public relations unit, “This development followed the recommendation of the management of the agency who have found them culpable for various offences.
“This is in line with the disciplinary actions and in-house cleaning embarked upon by the present management to enthrone discipline, dedication, loyalty as well as enhance the operations of the agency.”
It is heartwarming that the agency’s management did the needful after carefully examining the evidence against the officials. This is the way organisations, private or public, should be administered. When people are sanctioned for misdemeanor in the office, it serves as warning to others who might want to toe similar path to desist lest they face the same comeuppance.
As Mrs Nezan rightly observed, when the agency’s personnel divulge official secrets to outsiders, they endanger the lives of their colleagues. Such information had endangered the lives of several soldiers in the course of their battle with Boko Haram insurgents. We recall too that such official secrets were divulged to Niger Delta militants a few years ago, when information of what transpired at meetings held at the seat of power got to the militants even before those in attendance dispersed. This is too dangerous to be condoned.
It is sad that some Nigerians would still want to take advantage of people in distress that they are supposed to protect. NAPTIP was set up to prevent or, at least, reduce the incidence of Nigerians, particularly females, who are transported abroad illegally to be used as sex slaves. Yet, it is the same officials who are supposed to see to this that are the very ones trying to exploit the poor victims. This is the height of man’s inhumanity to man.
Other agencies should take a cue from NAPTIP. We see a lot of laxities in many public institutions, including internally displaced people’s camps where officials, including military men, exploit the ladies and innocent girls before giving them food and other relief items provided by the government and good Samaritans. Such people deserve to be exposed and punished.
This is why we would have loved NAPTIP to release the names of the affected personnel instead of keeping them to itself. As a matter of fact, those of them whose infractions bordered on crime should be prosecuted. NAPTIP is under the Federal Ministry of Justice; and if the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had since approved the dismissal of the officers; we want to believe he had reviewed their matter and found them deserving of the punishments.
As NAPTIP’s director-general, Julie Okah-Donli, noted, no sane person would be happy to render a fellow human being jobless, but then, painful as this might be, laid-down procedures must be followed. This is more so that the way NAPTIP carries out its activities has implications beyond Nigeria. Again, the agency cannot be accused of bad faith, especially as only about 10 months ago, the agency’s management gave cash prizes and plaques to deserving officials. So, it’s a matter of carrot and stick. That is the way it should be.
