Jamie Christoff, Canadian ambassador to Nigeria, presented the vehicles to Fatima Waziri-Azi, the director-general of NAPTIP, in Abuja on Wednesday.

NAN reports that the donation was made under the auspices of the capacity-building programme funded by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Christoff said the move was important to assist workers of the agency with mobility to improve human trafficking investigations.

“We have to celebrate our joint efforts that are bringing change in raising awareness on issues of human trafficking,” he said.

“I celebrate the director-general and her team for the efforts deployed in tackling the issue that is really a scourge in any society and that is human trafficking.

“What I am very happy to do today before you is to present the director-general with delivery notices and instructions for two new vehicles that will help deploy NAPTIP staff in investigating human trafficking.”

On her part, Waziri-Azi commended the Canadian government for the donation and promised to make good use of the vehicles.

“Thank you for all the support we have got from the Canadian embassy, not just these, but even from past years,” she said.

“This collaboration with NAPTIP started in 2020 during COVID-19.

“All the support we have got so far has been very impactful; it has helped in our work. These are projects that are quantifiable and you can actually see and measure their impact.

“We can both agree on the enormity of challenges we face as a country when it has to do with human trafficking and we remain grateful for the support by the Canadian government.

“We hope to keep enhancing our relationship, we are glad to receive these two-brand-new vehicles, which have made our office environment look bigger.”

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The portfolio included notable names like the immediate past Governors of Rivers and Ebonyi states, Nyesom Wike and Dave Umahi as Ministers of FCT and Minister of Works, respectively. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, another notable appointment, is the first female Minister of State, Police Affairs.

The Plateau-born politician is the former director-general of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

In this report, NewMailNG highlights 10 things to know about the minister below;

1. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim was born in Plateau State, however, she spent most of her childhood in Abuja. She attended Aruwa Nursery School, Abuja and Jabi Primary School, (now LEA Primary School, Jabi), for her nursery and primary school education.

2. She had two master’s degrees at the age of 21: At the young age of 19, she graduated from the University of Abuja with a degree in Sociology. She bagged two master’s degrees from Webster University, St Louis, Missouri (London Campus) an MBA and MA.

3. She served in Kaduna: Imaan did her National Youth Service at NNPC in the Kaduna Zonal Office.

4. She is completing her Doctoral Security and Strategic Studies programme at the Nigeria Defence Academy.

5. Imaan started her career working at Abuja Geographic Information Systems, AGIS. The AGIS task includes the introduction of SDI (Spatial Data Infrastructure) for F.C.T., and the computerization of spatially related workflows in certain Federal Capital Development Agency departments and agencies.

6. She is a co-founder: Imaan is the Co-Founder/President of The Beehive Initiative, now the BumbleeBee Civic Initiative, a platform focused on nurturing and mentoring politically inclined women and creating grassroots civic awareness.

7. She was a senior sales director of the Cosmetics and Skin-care company, Mary Kay.

8. In June 2021, she became the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission For Refugees Migrants And Internally Displaced Persons Office.

9. She was a special adviser on strategic communication to the minister of state for education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and she was appointed a member of the Nasarawa State economic advisory council by the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State Engr. A. A. Sule in September 2019.

10. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim is married and has three children.

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The Commander of the Benin Zone of NAPTIP, Nduka Nwanwenne, gave the figure on Tuesday at a workshop organised for media professionals in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the workshop was to develop the capacities of the participants in creating awareness about the dangers of human trafficking.

It was organised by NAPTIP in collaboration with FIIAPP — International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies—and Action against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Nigeria (A-TIPSOM).

He said, “NAPTIP’s investigation into this category of victims revealed that they were attracted to Malian men because they spend more money on women compared to Nigerian men.

“The second major reason is that Malian men are proud of sleeping with women from Nigeria, the giant of Africa.”

Nwanwenne added that NAPTIP arrested over 9,102 human traffickers, out of which  604 were convicted while 20,660 victims were rescued  between 2004 to May 2023.

The team lead for FIIAPP and A-TIPSOM, Federico Millan, a Spanish police officer, said, “Prevention is important in tackling human trafficking, and the media is a major channel for creating awareness and protecting victims.”

Also, NAPTIP Director General, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi,  identified Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, and India as the top five countries that Nigerians are trafficked to in the world.

Waziri-Azi disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, during the Inaugural Joint Technical Working Group meeting on a memorandum signed between Nigeria and The Gambia to prevent, suppress, and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children.

Waziri, “Top countries where Nigerians are trafficked in order of scale include Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, and India. In 2022, as an agency, we received 1,440 reported cases, of which 412 were external trafficking cases and 1,028 were internal trafficking cases. We rescued and received 2,743 victims, out of which 1,454 were female adults, 688 were female children, 363 were male adults, and 233 were male children.

“Victims of human trafficking were 45; returned victims from outside Nigeria were 251; and intercepted victims from various border points were 1,484. Top on the list for trafficking in persons was sexual exploitation, followed by labour exploitation and domestic servitude.

“As a country, we have scaled our efforts to tackle this crime through our five broad strategic approaches of prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, and policy.”

Also speaking during the meeting, the Executive Director of The Gambia National Agency against Trafficking in Persons, Isatou Dabo, said, “This MOU is an important step towards our concerted efforts in combating human trafficking between Nigeria and The Gambia. Collaboration is important because it will enable us to enhance our capacities and strengthen our efforts in the fight against the trafficking of persons. We believe the partnership will bring about groundbreaking impacts.”

The post Over 25,000 trafficked Nigerian women, girls trapped in Mali – NAPTIP appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

Vincent Adekoye, the NAPTIP spokesperson, announced the dismissal of the officers in a statement on Wednesday.

Adekoye said the officers were dismissed for indulging in corruption, infraction of the oath of secrecy, and demanding and accepting bribes from suspects, among others.

He said two other officers were demoted by two ranks for seeking bribes from human trafficking suspects, while another official was degraded by one rank over negligence of duty.

“The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has dismissed five of its personnel, including a deputy director, for various offences,” the statement reads.

“The offences range from corruption; demanding and receiving bribes from suspects and relatives; leaking confidential information to suspects that endangered the lives of colleagues; violation of oath of secrecy; stealing and alteration of official records and absent without official leave.

“These offences are all contrary to provisions of the public service rules and other extant laws and regulations.

“Two other officers were demoted by two ranks for soliciting for bribe from a suspect of human trafficking, while one officer was demoted by one rank for the negligence of duty.

“The disciplinary actions followed the approval of the governing board of the agency at its meeting on May 25, 2023. At that meeting, the board considered and ratified the decision of the agency’s senior staff committee (SSC) which earlier sat on the disciplinary matters in accordance with the public service rules and other extant laws and regulations.”

In a related development, the NAPTIP spokesperson said a security officer has been sentenced to five years in prison for trafficking.

“He was convicted on a two-count charge of trafficking, contrary to section 26 2 of the trafficking in persons (prohibition) enforcement and administration act (2015 and was sentenced to 5 years on each count,” he said.

He added that the agency has secured 37 convictions and counting for the year 2023.

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The NIDCOM boss made the call in Abuja when she received a 12-Member National Executive led by the National President Ladi Bala in Abuja.

Hon Dabiri-Erewa expressed excitement at NAWOJ visit and plans of collaboration but suggested a robust partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibitions of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

She stressed that women who get lured with Greek hopes, end up mistreated, exploited and traumatized hence need for awareness, entrepreneurial skills and better environment for small business.

National President NAWOJ, Ladi Bala commended the Chairman/CEO, NIDCOM Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa for her accomplishments in fighting for justice and equity for Nigerians irrespective of gender, religion and ethnicity, at home and in the Diaspora.

Ladi stated that their mission is to collaborate with the Commission to help speak for women in journalism who are in troubled waters in the Diaspora especially the stranded and exploited who have lost hope and dignity as women.

She stressed that a lot of women travel out of the country to seek greener pastures but end up as domestic slaves and prostitutes. This, NAWOJ promises to change the narratives.

Formed on October 25,2009, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), is the Umbrella Body for Women Journalists in Nigeria.

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Sanwo-Olu said the State would be reaching out to the agency for support in human capital requirements and operation space to boost the agency’s response to the crime.

The Governor made the pledge when the NAPTIP’s Director-General, Hajia Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, led members of the management team on a courtesy to the State House, Alausa, on Monday.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the Government had strengthened social awareness in communities to discourage trafficking and other forms of human rights abuses, stressing that Lagos had raised its investment in attending to psychosocial needs of victims of abuses and granting them protection from their abusers.

He said: “Human trafficking indeed presents a deadly trend in our society and we need to protect our citizens, especially the vulnerable in our communities. For those who have fallen victims, we must stand up and protect them.

“The support and collaboration which the NAPTIP has enjoyed from Lagos State Government could be strengthened. Through the Ministry of Woman Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, we have rendered support to NAPTIP in terms of human and material requirements for your zonal office.”

Sanwo-Olu said Lagos was ready to boost its collaboration with the agency in other areas of support, adding that the State Government would work closely with NAPTIP to rehabilitate victims and equip them with skills that will make them self-reliant.

Suleiman-Ibrahim said Lagos remained strategic to the fight against human traffickers, because of its proximity to international borders, which she said, made the State prone to trafficking activities.

She noted that Nigeria remained a fertile ground for recruitment of trafficked persons, saying victims had been turned to commodities.

“We cannot fight traffickers from skeletal locations; this is why we are deepening our engagement with States to stop trafficking and those behind the dehumanising trade.”

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When 31-year-old Kikelomo (surname withheld) left Nigeria last October for Lebanon in search of greener pastures, she never imagined slavery would become her lot.

She had lofty dreams and expectations having been told that her only job would be to care for her sponsor’s aged mother and be paid $200 per month.

But reality dawned on the mother of three in Lebanon when she was subjected to what she termed “terrible slavery” by Arabs who eventually took her to prison when she kept demanding to be sent home.

Kikelomo, who spent about 15 weeks in the country tossed from one slave master to the other until she was rescued by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) following a complaint by her husband, said the only decent meal she had was crumbs and leftovers during family dinner.

Narrating her ordeal at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Lagos, the woman said: “I cannot begin to explain the kind of degrading treatment I received from those people.

It was just horrible. I never knew that I was sold as a slave. I met the Lebanese man in August through a friend of mine who sold noodles near the foreigner’s office at Apapa.

“I used to tell my friend I would like to leave Nigeria for any country abroad to work because people always say that anyone who lives in Lagos can survive anywhere in the world. I was a hairdresser and just had my third baby when I accepted to go.

“It was the Lebanese who asked my friend who I was and whether I would like to travel abroad to work as house help and look after his old mother.

He said he would pay me $200 monthly and that I will not spend anything and that I would be able to speak to my family anytime I wanted to.

“It sounded good and I agreed. He asked if I had a passport and I said ‘no’. He was the one who paid for my passport and helped get it. He called me to say that my visa was ready and showed me the paper. I only saw my name and confirmed it. The rest of the things were written in Arabic.

“He never gave me any money or anything. On the day of the trip, he wanted only the two of us to go to the airport but my husband and pastor refused.

He resisted earlier by saying that he will not bring them back but they said they will find their way back. At the airport, it was only I and the Lebanese that were allowed inside.

“He is very popular at the airport. All the people working there know him. Even the officers who wanted to ask for money before asked me to go when the man he handed me over to told them I was from him. So, I did not suspect anything was wrong until I arrived in Lebanon and saw myself in a market.

“In that market, they called us Abi which means slave. They took me to three different houses and each of those people told me that he bought me. Anytime I complained about the treatment or tiredness, they would say I was bought with their money and I should not complain.

“I worked hard as a slave and not a house girl. Even after working, they will not give me good food just bread with Lipton so I always complained. So, they would give me the remnants of their food scattered in the plates to eat and put the rest in the bin.

“They were disturbing me for sex but I never gave in. I started complaining that I wanted to go back to my country but they said my family must bring another Nigerian that would replace me before I could be released. I was even taken to prison and locked up because I kept insisting I wanted to come back to Nigeria.

“In the first and second houses, I was not allowed access to phone and could not speak to my husband and children. That made me more worried. I had my phone from Nigeria but no SIM card and no access to the internet. Those families refused me a connection to their internet on the basis that it was expensive.

“It was at the third place that I was told I can only use the Wi-Fi at night and that was when I was able to reach my husband and told him to cry out because the situation was becoming critical.

“I thank God that Nigerians helped me to come back. I will advise people to stay in Nigeria because there is no place like home.

Those middle easterners will lure you with beautiful stories only to make your life miserable in their country. For the months I worked for those families, I was never paid the promised $200 monthly.

“It was the Nigerian Embassy in Lebanon that helped me to collect $600 and gave me at the airport on January 31 which was the day I was coming back to Nigeria.”

But the 51-year-old Lebanese whose identity was withheld claimed Kikelomo lied to him that she was unmarried and was not a mother, insisting that he only helped her to get a job in his country.

“I have four children who are in university. One of my sons has cancer. I was away from Nigeria for two years and when I came back last year, I told her friend I was looking for help and she said no problem and that she would ask her friend.

“She brought the girl to me and I asked her if she was married or have children. She said ‘no’ then I asked her if she wanted to work as a house help in Lebanon and she said ‘yes’ that she’ll go. I told her I’ll give her $200 monthly.

“Then she brought a man and woman and said they were her brother and sister and they begged me that she wants to travel and I said no problem that she should bring her passport, she brought it. When she reached Lebanon, she called me and thanked me that she has reached Lebanon.

“She worked at my sister’s house and she called every day that she was enjoying the place and that she was very happy there. Another day, I called her several times but she did not answer her call.

I told them I did not force her, she went there on her own will. I only wanted to help her. I have my children and my family.

They should not put me in trouble because I did not do anything bad. Everybody knows me because I am into construction in Nigeria,” said the suspect.

Addressing reporters, Lagos Commander of NAPTIP Daniel Atokolo said the complaint by Kikelomo’s husband was lodged on January 18 and she returned to Nigeria at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 2.

Atokolo said the suspect was arrested on January 30 and mandated to ensure the safe return of the woman.

“Facts of the case so far reveal that the suspect had trafficked the victim on the pretence of employing her as a caregiver to his aged mother in Lebanon.

On arrival, the victim was reported to have been received by an agent who handed her over to a family where she was exploited as a domestic servant. The victim also reported that she was sexually harassed while working for the said family.

“When approached by the victim’s husband to return his wife, the suspect reportedly demanded that the victim would only be returned if the family provides another to replace her.

The agency is currently investigating the suspect’s activities to ascertain his possible involvement in trafficking Nigerians to his home country for exploitation.

“The recently celebrated return of Omolola Ajayi is also not far from our thoughts; therefore, the agency would like to use this opportunity to reiterate its warning against the recent flux especially by Nigerian females to countries like Lebanon, the United Arab Emirate (UAE), in search of the proverbial golden goose. Their stories almost always end in labour and sexual exploitations.

“NAPTIP urges Nigerians to not only assess the job offers made by these foreign benefactors but also do a personal assessment of your qualification to fill the roles in the proposed opportunities. To the recruiters and traffickers, be warned that we will get you.

“We also express the agency’s appreciation to Nigerians in the Diaspora who aided the rescue of the victim. We also thank our sister organisations for their co-operation and collaboration.”

The commander also warned Nigerians to be wary of such agencies/agents that claim to discover and export skills especially athletes, noting that most of their victims end up in countries where their organs are harvested.

“Organs harvesting is topical now but not much of it is heard in Nigeria. We have not had cases of people who come to complain that their organs are being harvested. But we know it happens to young men and women who go to ply their trades abroad, for example Beach Soccer.

“What they do is have people like sports agents to register in your country to scout for fit young people. They conduct medical checks to determine their fitness.

But what many people do not know is that these so-called agents could have sick clients or relatives who need one organ or the other to survive.

So, they check for compatibility and once they get a match, they will send the person scholarship or tempting offers only to end up harvesting their organs overseas. It is still being done undercover in Nigeria.”

* Culled from The Nation

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Onyeama gave the assurance on the arrival of the returnees at Port Harcourt Airport in Rivers.

He said that President Muhammadu Buhari had made resources available to ensure that returnees were evacuated as quickly as possible and enable them fit back into the society.

“The president had made provisions for every logistics to make sure that we bring you back from Libya,” he said.

He said he was accompanied by officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Onyeama said officials who accompanied him included the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service and Senior Special Adviser to the President On Diaspora to ensure the evacuation of the returnees.

“We negotiated with Libyan Government to make sure that you are here; we know that many of you were trafficked and passed through humiliation.

“We are proud of you, you maintained your dignity despite all odds, we hope that one thing that you have learnt is that your life matters to Mr President and all Nigerians.

“You have come home; you will not be abandoned; there is a place and provision for you to be rehabilitated and be educated; we will also train you on skills to be empowered in your country.”

Also speaking, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, said that Nigerians have the right to travel to any part of the world.

Babandede also stated that there were citizens of Nigeria who had good jobs and papers in Libya.

“There are Nigerians who have genuine papers in Libya. Not all Nigerians were in detention or in the camp. So many of them have good jobs, so let Nigerians not think that Nigerians are committing crimes in Libya,” he said.

According to Babandede, the Libyan Government renewed the passports of Nigerians doing good jobs in that country after negotiating with the Nigerian Government.

He also urged Nigerians to travel through legal means to any country of their choice.

Kenneth Kobani, the Secretary to the River State Government, also commended President Buhari for his effort to ensure that the suffering of Nigerians in Libya would come to an end.

Kobani, who represented Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, said that the State Government would collaborate with the Federal Government to rehabilitate and empower the returnees.

The post FG to rehabilitate, empower 490 Nigerian evacuees from Libya appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

The team may also open talks with Libyan authorities on how to stop the exodus of Nigerians to the Arab country.

The panel has 38 days to evacuate all Nigerians trapped in Libya.

The team, which will leave for Tripoli immediately, collaborating with the Nigerian mission in Libya.

No fewer than 5,037 Nigerians have volunteered to return to the country but the number could rise, with the presence of the committee in Libya.

About 6,091 have been brought back to Nigeria from Libya through collaboration between the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) and the International Organisation for Migration(IOM).

According to investigation by our correspondent, the 17-man team is headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama.

Others are Comptroller-General of Immigration Mohammed Babandede, NEMA Director- General Mustapha Maihaja, Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Diaspora Abike Dabiri-Erewa, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Director-General Julie Okah-Donli, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, some diplomats and nine members of a sub-technical team.

A source in the Presidency, who spoke in confidence, said: “This is the first elaborate measure put in place by the Federal Government under the leadership of President Buhari. Hitherto, NEMA had been managing reception centres for IOM.

“To underscore his commitment, the President has directed that Monitoring and Evaluation desks be opened in his office and in Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s office. So, there is no room for tardiness at all.

“This evacuation started on December 22 and the execution is planned to end within 38 days.

Another top government source said “with the approval of the President, an operational secretariat has been activated. The secretariat, which is headed by the DG of NEMA, comprises all stakeholders and security agencies. The centre will be guided by the Monitoring and Evaluation Manual to ensure strict compliance and timely evacuation.

“The government has established a Reception Centre in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to receive the over 5, 037 returnees. The Zonal Coordinator of NEMA will manage the centre.

Max Air and Medview have been approved as carriers to fly home the Nigerians.

“NAPTIP, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons in conjunction with NEMA will be responsible for the rehabilitation of the returnees,” the source said.

“We will receive and profile the returnees, ensure their health status and provide feeding arrangement. The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital has been placed on the alert by the Federal Ministry of Health for appropriate medical attention for returnees in need. It is really a tidier structure,” the source said.

The Federal Government is to work with the governors of the returnees’ states.

The governors have supported this evacuation. After profiling, identification and documentation, the returnees will be handed over to their state governors.

The post Buhari raises 17-man fact-finding mission for Libyan returnees appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

The Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Maihajja, made the disclosure while receiving a fresh batch of 116 Nigerians who arrived the country on Friday morning.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new set of returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos aboard a Buraq Airlines with Registration Number 5A-WAC at about 5.39a.m.

NAN reports that no fewer than 3,000 Nigerians have voluntarily returned from Libya through the IOM supported programme in the last few months.

Maihajja, represented by Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, the South-West Zonal Coordinator, said that the Nigerians returned in various batches between Dec.5 and Dec.15 with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU).

According to him, the figure has already surpassed the 1, 295 Nigerians who voluntarily returned from Libya in the month of November.

Maihajja said that the Federal Government would continue to work with the international organisations to ensure the return of more Nigerians from Libya where they had been facing severe hardships and rights violations.

They comprised 46 adult females, 60 adult males and 10 children and infants respectively.

Also, on ground to welcome the returnees were officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Police.

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