Nigerians in Diaspora want FG to step up strategy to combat human trafficking

Sat, Aug 1, 2020
By publisher
2 MIN READ

Politics

The Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation, Qatar Chapter (NIDO-Qatar) on Friday urged the international community and the Federal Government to step-up strategy to combat trafficking in persons.

The President of NIDO-Qatar, Mr Victor Ikoli, gave the advice at the online webinar organised by  National Agency for Protection of Trafficking in Persons, (NAPTIP) under the leadership of Mrs Julie Okah-Donli.

The webinar was organised by the NAPTIP to comemorate the 2020 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons celebrated globally on July 30, to promote and protect rights of victims of trafficking in persons.

The theme of this year’s World Day Against Trafficking was focused on first responders to trafficking in persons.

Ikoli said the first responders were those who worked in different fields, such as identifying, supporting, advising and working to provide justice to victims of trafficking.

He said, “We hope that trafficking in persons will end soon, adding,  as a result of the coronavirus restriction, victims are still trapped with traffickers.

“We want to partner with the relevant agencies and fight this crime from all fronts.

“We call on government to step up its strategy and be ahead of the traffickers and urge our members to report any case of trafficking, and to put an end to this human exploitation.

“Traffickers target major event destinations and the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar is already a target, hands must be on deck to stop these criminals.

“Human trafficking undermines human dignity, undermines the rule of law and threatens global security, so all hands must be on the deck to stop this crime.”

Ikoli commended Okah-Donli’s efforts in the fight against human trafficking in the country.

He said that NAPTIP led by Okah-Donli had achieved a great feat of  convicting 428 traffickers since 2013, rescuing 17,000 victims and arresting more than 7,000 perpetrators.

He also commended the recent joint operation which brought about safe return of 158 Nigerian migrants from Niger Republic.

Ikoli said that she had made NAPTIP a force to reckon with globally in the fight against trafficking in persons.

He said that the UN defined reasons people were trafficked to be for exploitation, forced marriage, begging, labour, sexual exploitation, organs removal, selling children and child soldiers. (NAN)

– Aug. 1, 2020 @ 14:09 GMT |

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