Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking (NAPTIP) has restated its commitment to fighting human trafficking in Nigeria during a radio programme discussing HumAngle’s investigation.
The weekly anti-corruption radio programme, “Public Conscience,” is produced by the Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development (PRIMORG) in Abuja, with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
“NAPTIP is fighting on all sides to curb human trafficking,” NAPTIP’s Director-General, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, assured during the discussion through a representative.
Represented by Mrs Kehinde Akomolafe, Director of Public Enlightenment, Waziri-Azi revealed NAPTIP’s awareness of the reported abuses in Egypt and outlined ongoing interventions aimed at rescuing the victims.
The investigation by HumAngle highlighted the struggles of Nigerian victims in Egypt, who are subjected to forced labour and live in fear of immigration authorities. According to Kabir, victims interviewed during the investigation expressed a desire to return home but are trapped as their sponsors refuse to release their travel documents and threaten them with false accusations.
In response to the investigation, NAPTIP, in collaboration with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), has initiated rescue operations, successfully liberating one victim so far.
According to Akomolafe, weak legislation, lengthy judicial processes, and corrupt law enforcement officials are factors aiding and abetting trafficking in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world. “You find law enforcement officials aiding and abetting traffickers. Some of them know these traffickers from their operations either at the entry or exit point. They give them something or become too familiar with them,” she noted.
Since its inception, NAPTIP has secured 672 convictions, including 67 in 2023 and 35 so far in 2024. Despite these achievements, Akomolafe stressed the need for harsher penalties for traffickers and faster judicial proceedings. “Weak legislation is aiding trafficking. That’s why the agency continues pushing for amendments. Currently, NAPTIP is pushing for stiffer punishment against traffickers that will lead to confiscation of their monies and property,” she explained.
Akomolafe also highlighted Prof. Waziri-Azi’s strict anti-corruption stance within NAPTIP. “Where law enforcement officials are found complicit, NAPTIP Director-General does not take it lightly; she doesn’t compromise her anti-corruption stance even when a staff member is involved,” she asserted.
During the programme, Angela Umoru-David, Director of the HumAngle Foundation, praised NAPTIP’s proactive response and urged the agency to continue its efforts. Umoru-David also highlighted a Freedom of Information (FOI) platform developed by HumAngle to assist Nigerians in obtaining public records from government agencies.
The platform “is a website where people can submit their FOI requests to us, and we’ll submit it on their behalf to the particular agency. So we act as middlemen, connecting these government parastatals to the citizens,” she explained.
Support Our Journalism
There are millions of ordinary people affected by conflict in Africa whose stories are missing in the mainstream media. HumAngle is determined to tell those challenging and under-reported stories, hoping that the people impacted by these conflicts will find the safety and security they deserve.
To ensure that we continue to provide public service coverage, we have a small favour to ask you. We want you to be part of our journalistic endeavour by contributing a token to us.
Your donation will further promote a robust, free, and independent media.