NAPTIP convicts 38 sexual offenders in 10 months – DG

Akpan Umoh

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has convicted 38 sexual offenders since November 2019.

The Director General of the agency, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, said this in her opening remarks during the training of stakeholders and members of the state taskforce on human trafficking in Uyo on Tuesday.

Our correspondent reports that the training was organised for stakeholders from South-South, South-East and South-West members of the taskforce.

According to her, the purpose of the training was to build the capacity of frontline members of the state  taskforce and other stakeholders with a view to sharpening their professional skills so that they could effectively contribute to national efforts to curb human trafficking.

Okah-Donli said that during the period, not less than 143 cases have been reported to the agency.

She added that about 442 traffickers have been convicted and were serving various jail term and almost 17, 000 victims have been rescued.

She said that NAPTIP has resolved to end human trafficking in the country, stressing that the agency would continue to engage various stakeholders to achieve its objective.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you may recall that NAPTIP launched the Nigeria Sexual Offenders Register in November 2019. As at last week, a total of 38 convicted persons have been documented in the register, with 143 cases reported and 107 fingerprints digitally captured.

“NAPTIP relies on the support of all men and women of goodwill to continue to achieve its mandate.

“To date, about 442 traffickers have been convicted and are serving various jail terms and almost 17, 000 victims have been rescued and counselled with good number of them empowered by agency.

“I wish to reiterate that our resolve to end human trafficking in Nigeria is firm and we shall continue to engage with various actors across board to achieve this.,” she said.

She noted that the challenges of human trafficking and irregular migration were quite enormous and new initiatives must be developed to ensure sustained successes against these twin monsters.