By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
No fewer than 1,200 victims of human trafficking were rescued in the past one year by the Katsina Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in the state.
Similarly, a total number of 10 suspected human traffickers were arrested and convicted within the same period.
The NAPTIP State Commander, Malam Musa Aliyu.mButade the disclosure last weekend during the medical outreach assistance programme for the victims of human trafficking under the framework of the Niger-Nigeria Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Project held in Katsina.
NAPTIP organised the programme with support from the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
Aliyu attributed the success recorded to what he described as the commitment of the Katsina State government and especially for its efforts which culminated in the upgrade the NAPTIP liason office to a Command.
He urged the people of the not to hesitate in reporting issues of human trafficking, child abuse, child labour and related abuses to the Command.
Earlier, the Director General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri, who was represented by the agency’s Director, Counselling and Rehabilitation, Mr. Angela Agbayekhai, noted that the agency has been in the forefront of not only protecting victims of human trafficking but also assisting them to become better citizens.
She described the medical outreach assistance programme as one out of many that the agency in collaboration with ICMPD have been carrying out.
“The issue of counselling in NAPTIP is key because when the victims are rescued without being given proper counselling and rehabilitation, they will be lost because they go back to the society same as they have come back, they were traumatized, losing hope and confidence and with mental issues.
“We did same programme in Kano, Benin, Abuja, Lagos and we are here in Katsina today.
“We also intend to go to Enugu, Benin again and Lagos,” she said.
On his part, representative of the ICMPD, Mr. Adeniyi Bakre, explained that the project started in Agadez, Niger Republic, after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Nigeria and Niger Republic on November 16, 2021.
“The MoU which was first of its kind in the region was signed at the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.
“Tremendous milestone has been achieved with repatriation of thousands victims of human trafficking within the two countries,” he said.
