The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has disclosed plans to establish a regional training academy for the entire West Africa in Nasarawa State.
Director General of NAPTIP, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, made this known when she led her team on a courtesy call at the Lafia Government House, on Monday.
While commending Governor Abdullahi Sule, for supporting the agency carry out its mandate, the NAPTIP DG, specifically thanked the Governor for accepting the agency establish its regional training academy, which will service the whole of West Africa.
Hajiya Imaan explained that she was in Nasarawa State, to team up with the government, to stem the twin evil of human trafficking and irregular migration in the state and across the country.
She stated further that NAPTIP is collaborating with the state governments, to set-up taskforces under the supervision of the state governors, to further consolidate to the efforts of the agency.
According to her, and as part of the efforts, NAPTIP is setting up to three state taskforces in Nasarawa, Benue and Plateau within the week.
Part of the reason for the visit of the NAPTIP DG, was to witness the inauguration of the 19-member Nasarawa State taskforce on human trafficking.
In his response, Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, expressed appreciation for the NAPTIP to select Nasarawa as location for its regional training academy, stressing that the state deserves to host such facility mostly because of her proximity to the federal capital.
While assuring NAPTIP of the continued support by his administration, Engineer Sule said government is already looking for a site to carry out the project in Karu Local Government Council.
The governor assured that once the land is made available, government will immediately fence it for the agency.
Speaking on the mandate of the agency, Governor Sule promised to reach out to his governor colleagues, to understand the importance of the protection of children, women and protection against rape.
Governor Sule informed the delegation from the agency that already, the state has death penalty to serve as deterrent to would-be rapists, even as he restated the commitment of his administration to fight the evil.
“In Nasarawa State, we already signed the anti-rape law last year and we have already started working on that. We have also signed both the child’s protection and violence against women laws,” he stated.
The governor was emphatic that with such laws in place, the state government is ready to work with NAPTIP.
Inaugurating to the state taskforce on human trafficking, Governor Sule expressed confidence that the committee will be active as it goes about its responsibilities.
The taskforce has the state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice as Chairman, while the Zonal Commandant of NAPTIP will serve as Co-Chairman.
