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Nigeria: Agency On Human Trafficking Needs N3bn to Run, Says Scribe
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Vanguard (Lagos)
15 May 2008
Posted to the web 15 May 2008
Chinyere Amalu
Lagos
Executive Secretary of National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP), Mrs. Carol Ndaguba, says it requires about N3 billion to function effectively.
Announcing this in Abuja yesterday at the 12th National Stakeholders Consultative Forum on trafficking in persons, Mrs. Ndaguba called for inter-agency collaboration and renewed proactive intervention in the fight against human trafficking in the country.
Her words: "Due to the type of work we do in this agency, a lot of money is required, and this cannot be anything less than N2-3 billion. We need more than this but can start from somewhere. Also, you cannot rehabilitate victims of trafficking with an empty hand. So, we need a lot of assistance both financially to carry out this work.
"It takes a lot to handle the issue of human trafficking. We run a shelter home for them in all the states. In a month, we feed about 600 people currently in the shelters undergoing training and rehabilitation. So, we really need increased funding to do the job," she said.
She described human trafficking as evil, adding that it required increased and sustained effort by all stakeholders to eradicate the crime from the society.
"It is expected that inter-agency collaboration and renewed proactive intervention mechanisms would lead to, among other things, enlightening the vulnerable population, widening the scope of our campaigns to effectively suppress and eradicate the evil activities of human traffickers especially at the grassroots level," she said.
She enjoined the stakeholders to intensify efforts as only effective and water tight cooperation and vigilance by all could curb the scourge thoroughly.
Presenting an update on NAPTIP activities from October 2007 to date, Director of Investigation of the agency, Mr Mohammed Babandede, said from October 2007, 10 suspected human trafficking had been convicted, while 57 of them were arrested.
According to him, NAPTIP is currently working with seven European countries to investigate organised criminal group of human traffickers.
"Between October 2007 and now, we identified the victims and 10 suspects were convicted. This is because investigations were done in collaboration with our international partners simultaneously all over the country. During the investigation, we arrested 57 suspects, three in Nigeria and 26 in The Netherland, all Nigerians.
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"NAPTIP talked international organised crime with seven European countries through The Netherlands. In June 2007, eight countries including Nigeria agreed in Groningen to conduct joint international investigation into the activities of organised ring of human traffickers. Spain, Italy, UK, Island, Belgium, France, The Netherlands were members with USA as observer," he said.
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