DAME Julie Okah-Donle, Director-General, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, on Monday sought collaboration of three aviation agencies  in fighting human  trafficking.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NAPTIP boss visited the National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

Okah-Donle said during the visit that she decided to carry out the campaign against human trafficking to the three organisations because of their important roles in the aviation industry.

She listed  the mandate of NAPTIP to   include coordination of efforts against human traficking and enforcement of laws against human trafficking.

She said that NAPTIP performed its functions with the application of prevention, policy and protection measures as well as partnership with relevant organisations.

“The aviation sector is an important ally in the fight against human trafficking; hence, it is time for the operators in the industry to rise to the occasion and join hands with NAPTIP.

“It is disturbing that young Nigerians are lured out of the country through the airports and other exit points with false promises of better lives abroad, only for them to end up in slave-like conditions at their destinations.

“Therefore, as you carry out your oversight functions of airports, airspace, metrological services, I implore you to ensure that airlines are mandated to fulfil part of their obligations under the Trafficking In Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015,” she said.

The director-general called on  airline operators to report suspected cases of human trafficking to NAPTIP.

The Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, assured the NAPTIP boss of full cooperation  to meet the agency’s  mandate.

“We are here to support you to ensure that you carry out your mandate. We are very much open in assisting you in achieving NAPTIP objectives,” Usman said.

The Managing Director of FAAN, Capt. Rabui Yadudu, represented by the FAAN Director of Security Services, Capt. Usman Sadiq, also assured the anti-human trafficking agency of support.

Yadudu said that the sensitisation was a welcomed development.

Some materials for information at the airport, inside  planes and on website of the agencies were presented by the NAPTIP  boss to the organisations.

-NAN

BE

– June 11, 2019 @ 09:27 GMT |