By Rosemary Ogbonnaya
Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons,NAPTIP, Dr Fatima Waziri-Azi, has called for sternly application and enforcement of the provisions of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015 in view of the hideous cases of rape across the Country.
Waziri-Azi stated this in Kaduna while speaking during the inauguration of the Kaduna State Task Force on Human Trafficking held at the Government
House, Kaduna.
It was gathered that Task Forces on human trafficking is one of the counter-trafficking initiatives
of the Agency to enhance stakeholders’ participation in the prevention and awareness creation in order to eradicate incidence of human trafficking across
the Country.
The Agency has set up task Forces in 19 States with the Kaduna state bringing the total number to 20.
The NAPTIP Director General, however, expressed sadness over the recent escalation of
rape across the Country most especially as some of them have been characterised by killing of the victims in order to cover their evil act.
While commending the Kaduna State for setting up four Sexual Assault Referral Centres, the NAPTIP boss requested that details of convictions and data be sent to
National Sex Offender Register which is domiciled with the Agency.
In her response, the Acting Kaduna State Governor, Her Excellency, Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, commended the Agency for its massive awareness creation
adding that human trafficking is a crime that requires the sustained cooperation and support of the whole nation.
She promised that Kaduna State Government shall provide the needed support for the effective functioning of the newly inaugurated Task Force.
In his goodwill message, the Lagos Sub-Office Head/Programme Manager of the
International Organization for Migration, IOM, who represented the Chief of Mission, Mr. Kabla Amihere, expressed satisfaction with the membership of the
Task Force, adding that the Organisation will continue to support the fight against
human trafficking in the Country.
Membership of the Task Force were drawn from Law Enforcement Agencies, Civil Society groups, representative of women groups, community leaders, religious
leaders and other critical stakeholders.
