The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has revealed that it secured a total of 143 convictions between 2022 and 2023, in its ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking, News About Nigeria reports.
According to a statement released by the Press Officer of the agency on Saturday, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri–Azi, shared these achievements during her appearance before the House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights for the 2024 budget defence.
In the statement, it was revealed that among the convictions were cases involving a high-profile individual who trafficked 12 girls to Belgium and a Lebanese national.
The agency has been actively working to prosecute traffickers and ensure justice for victims of human trafficking.
During the budget defence session, Chairman of the Committee, Abiola Makinde, commended NAPTIP for its relentless efforts in combating trafficking in persons, adding that the agency’s initiatives had led to the conviction of several traffickers.
Makinde stated, “Our members are very interested in your agency because you are doing well and this is also a gender-sensitive agency of government. NAPTIP is one of the active agencies in the country.”
The Director-General, Prof. Fatima Waziri–Azi, responded by providing additional insights into the agency’s accomplishments.
She mentioned that NAPTIP had secured a total of 641 convictions and had expanded its presence by opening offices in 32 states across Nigeria.
Waziri–Azi said that there has been a surge in human trafficking cases globally, noting that every state in Nigeria was affected by human trafficking.
“In 2022, the agency received 1,462 human trafficking complaints, a 31 percent increase from the number received in 2021,” she said.
Despite the difficulties, Waziri-Azi reassured lawmakers that the organisation was dedicated to carrying out its purpose, which called for combating traffickers and protecting Nigerians from all types of exploitation and trafficking.
