The Plateau Government is ready to partner with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to stem the tide of trafficking in women and girls from Mikang Local Government Area of the state.
Gov. Simon Lalong made this known when he received Mrs Imaam Suleiman, the Director-General of NAPTIP, on Tuesday at the Plateau Governor’s lodge in Abuja.
Lalong expressed concerns over reports of cases of trafficking of girls in Mikang local government.
”Trafficking in girls was reported in Mikang Local Government Area, where young girls were taken out of the state in December 2020.
”Some government officials sen to investigate the matter were attacked by the parents of the girls, who said they allowed their children to be trafficked to alleviate their hardship and give them better lives,” he said.
Lalong said he was ready to partner with the NAPTIP to empower and sensitise the people against the ills of trafficking.
He said Plateau was the first to sign the Child Rights Law in Northern Nigeria because of its commitment for the wellbeing of children.
Earlier in her remarks, Suleiman said, she visited the governor to seek his support to stop trafficking.
She called for improved financial commitment from governors in the fight against the menace.
She said for NAPTIP to achieve its mandate, there is need to strengthen its manpower and expand its offices across the country while collaborating with key stakeholders to curb the menace.
“NAPTIP has just nine zonal commands and ten state commands. We can not fight the menace of trafficking without collaboration of other law enforcement agencies, ” she said.
She appealed to the governor to donate a land in the state, for NAPTIP to open a shelter, where capacities of youths can be developed through partnership.
Sulaiman said that NAPTIP also requires a land for a city centre,where youths will be trained and engaged for economic empowerment .
(NAN)
