31st October, 2019
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), is seeking collaboration with the Federal Capital Territorial Administration (FCTA) to curb human trafficking in Abuja.
Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, the Director-General of NAPTIP, made the call on Thursday when she visited the FCT Minister, Malam Mohammed Bello, and Minister of State, FCT, Hajia Ramatu Tijjani.
According to her, the team from the agency was in the ministers’ office to seek collaboration and solicit assistance in providing logistics that would aid in effective human trafficking fight in the FCT and the country at large.
The Director-General appealed for a land along Airport Road for the construction of an alternative office for the agency to accommodate victims of human trafficking.
‘Alternatively, we are appealing you cede to us one of those buildings that have been revoked to use for this purpose; we believe that with FCT coming together with NAPTIP, we will achieve a lot.
“There are various forms of trafficking on the streets of Abuja, we see beggars on the streets, we see hawkers and others; you have a lot of brothels where girls are forced into prostitution, they are all victims of trafficking.
“We are here for us to work together, to collaborate, to synergise, strategise and to seek assistance,’’ she stressed.
Responding, Bello assured Okah-Donli and her team of the FCT’s readiness to collaborate with the agency, adding that it would help curb crime in the city.
The minister also said assured them of positive response to NAPTIP’s request but charged the agency to continue to follow up on that.
Speaking also, Tijjani, said the FCT had been waging war on human trafficking for a very long time with rehabilitation centres across its area councils including Bwari, Nyanya, Kuje and Gwako.
She added that with enhanced collaboration, the two organisations would pull resources together, along with human capital to end the menace in the city.
Tijjani added that FCT skills acquisition centres would also be reactivated for this purpose to give succour to victims of human trafficking.