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The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP),has disclosed that it rescued over 17,000 victims of human trafficking and jailed over 550 traffickers.
Its Director-General, Sen. Basheer Muhammed, who disclosed this during a joint briefing in Abuja ahead of the 2021 World Day Against Human Trafficking, assured that the agency would continue to rescue, counsel, rehabilitate, and empower victims of human trafficking and ensure that offenders were prosecuted with a view to ending the menace.
He added that, “As at last count, over 550 traffickers were jailed, with many cases at various prosecution stages in courts across the country.Over 17,000 victims were rescued and a good number of them were trained and empowered.”
He said that as part of the 2021 World Day Against Human Trafficking, the agency would unveil the ‘Strengthing Nigeria’s Criminal Justice Response to Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants-PROMIS’ project, supported by the Netherlands.
In addition, the ‘Strenthening Trans-Regional Action and Responses against the Smuggling of Migrants-STARSOM’ project supported by Canada would also be launched, to be implemented by the UNODC.
The NAPTIP boss revealed that the harmonised Screening and Reporting Tools for identification of Victims of Human Trafficking developed with the support of the IOM would also be launched.
According to him, the projects will help in addressing identified gaps in the criminal response to Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (TIP/SOM).
He said it would also strengthen capacities to prevent, investigate and prosecute TIP/SOM cases, combat activities of migrant smuggling networks and enhance law enforcement and judicial responses.
Mr Joseph Sanwo, the Senior Project Officer, FIAPP A-TIPSOM, said that the organisation, in partnership with the European Union (EU), donated forensic equipment to NAPTIP to support investigation activities to curb trafficking and migration.
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