Human Trafficking: NAPTIP Decries Corruption In Law Enforcement, Weak Legislation

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has said that corrupt law enforcement officials, weak legislation and lengthy judicial processes, and corrupt law enforcement officials as factors aiding and abetting trafficking in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world.

Director General of the Agency, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, who stated this during an anti-corruption radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development (PRIMORG), in Abuja, also decried the rising number of Nigerians who are victims of trafficking.

Prof Waziri-Azi, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Mrs. Kehinde Akomolafe, however assured of the commitment by NAPTIP towards fighting on all sides to curb human trafficking.

The position of NAPTIP followed an investigative report by Human Angle Media that exposed how so many Nigerians that were trafficked to Egypt are inhumanely treated and exploited by their sponsors.

Waziri-Azi said that NAPTIP was aware of the report of Nigerians trafficked to Egypt and has commenced interventions to rescue them and therefore warned citizens to be wary of “offers that are too good to be true.”

She said; “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.

“Corruption is endemic and cuts across other countries of the world, and that’s why trafficking is easily perpetrated in Nigeria and around the globe. Apart from the bribery aspect, we also have officials turning a blind eye to trafficking activities, and that is why for us at NAPTIP, we are not resting,” she said.

The NAPTIP Director General said that from inception, the Agency has secured 672 convictions, 67 in 2023, and 35 persons so far this year (2024), saying that “NAPTIP is winning the war against trafficking but still wants stiffer punishment for traffickers and the support of the judiciary in hastening cases.

According to her; “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. NAPTIP is fighting on all sides against human trafficking.

“Where law enforcement officials are found complicit, NAPTIP does not take it lightly; doesn’t compromise on anti-corruption stance even when a staff is involved,” she said.

Speaking in turn, the Editor of Southern Operations, Human Angle Media, Kabir Adejumo, said that many Nigerians trafficked to Egypt engage in forced labour, adding that they are also living in fear as authorities go after illegal immigrants.

Adejumo said that victims interviewed during the investigation are willing and interested in returning home, but their sponsors refused to release their travel documents and threaten to implicate them.

On her part, the Programme Manager of the Human Angle Foundation, Angela Umoro-David, expressed satisfaction with NAPTIP’s response to trafficking cases while urging the agency to stay on course with their mandate.

Umoro-David called on Nigerians to use a Freedom of Information platform (foi.humananglemedia.com) to help citizens navigate requests for public records from different government parastatals and agencies.