The Federal Government (FG) has renewed its commitment to combating human trafficking.
FG assured that it will provide unwavering commitment and clear political will through institutional support and favourable administrative backing.
The assurance was given by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi at the 2nd Policy Level Meeting on Human Trafficking in Nigeria on Thursday.
The event was organised by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), supported by the government of Switzerland and additional funding from the European Union.
The meeting was held under the framework of two projects: “From Policy to Action: Implementation of the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking in Nigeria (2022–2026)” and “Support to Migration Governance in Nigeria (Component 3).”
Fagbemi was represented by the Director of Planning and Statistics, Victoria Ojogbane.
He stressed that the FG under President Bola Tinubu remains resolute in its commitment to the protection of human dignity and the total eradication of human trafficking in all its forms in Nigeria.
He highlighted that the administration’s eight-point agenda prioritises the protection of victims and the strengthening of justice mechanisms.
The government is currently working to consolidate partnerships among law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, and international partners to dismantle trafficking networks and provide hope to survivors.
In her address, Binta Bello, the Director General of NAPTIP, outlined several achievements by the agency and called for collective efforts against the menace.
Among the “notable milestones” is the successful launch of the National Anti-Trafficking Dashboard, which she described as the first of its kind in Africa.
This digital platform provides a real-time monitoring system for the coordination and reporting of all counter-trafficking interventions nationwide, setting a model for other countries in data-driven anti-trafficking governance.
To strengthen preventive mechanisms at the community level, NAPTIP has inaugurated Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Violence Against Persons (A-TIPVAP) Vanguards in 35 schools this year, bringing the total number of inaugurated school Vanguards to 223.
These vanguards serve as knowledge hubs and early-warning networks for the prevention of trafficking and violence among young people.
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This effort is complemented by the development of Students’ Handbooks, Standard Operating Procedures, and reporting tools for the Vanguards, developed under the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP) in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and funded by the government of the Netherlands.
The meeting also featured goodwill messages from representatives of international partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, and the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria.
