…Just As NAPTIP DG Proposes Mega Rehabilitation Project To Build The Future Of Victims
Katsina State Governor, His Excellency, Aminu Bello Masari, has threatened serious action against human trafficking and other crimes relating to Child abuse and exploitation in the State saying that concerted efforts must be put in place to ensure adequate protection of Nigerians.
He described human trafficking as a fundamental problem whose victim are mostly vulnerable women and children, hence the need to support the efforts of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in tackling the menace.
The Governor stated this while receiving the Director General of NAPTIP, Senator Basheer Garba Muhammed who led other members of the Management of the Agency as well as Officials of the FIIAPP on courtesy visit on the Governor as part of the activities lined up for the setting up and inauguration of the Katsina State Task Force on Human Trafficking in the State.
The development came just as the Director General of NAPTIP, Senator Basheer Garba Muhammed disclosed that the Agency has concluded plan to embark on a mega rehabilitation project with the planned establishment of an improved modern Skill Acquisition Centre in some strategic highly endemic States across the Country for the purpose of caring for victims of human trafficking and other related crimes.
Receiving the NAPTIP Director General, Governor Masari lamented the plight of hundreds of victims of human trafficking and child abuse who often fall prey to the deception of traffickers and directed that the newly inaugurated Task Force should immediately embark on serious sensitization and advocacy especially within the rural areas in order to reduce the vulnerability of the people.
“This is a fundamental problem involving mostly our women and children. They are being deceived into believing that there is a good job for them somewhere outside the Country and thereafter fall prey in the process.
“We need to embark on sensitization and awareness creation. This must involve all stakeholders including the religious leaders, members of the Civil Society Organization including other sister Law Enforcement Agencies.
“We shall support this Task Force with the available resources at our disposal. We need to take this issue of human trafficking very serious”, the Governor talked tough.
In his speech, Director General of NAPTIP, Senator Basheer Garba Muhammed, commended the Katsina State Government for its assistance to the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria.
He said, “I would like to start by thanking you for this opportunity to meet with you and members of your cabinet to strengthen our joint efforts to stem the tide of the twin evils of Human Trafficking (HT) and irregular migration in Katsina State and Nigeria.
