By Jessica John Bakari…
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, in collaboration with the North-East Development Commission, NEDC, has organized a three-day capacity building training for law enforcement agencies and other partners to curb human trafficking and violence against persons in the North East.
The workshop, held at Livark Hotel, Jimeta, brought together participants from law enforcement agencies,NAPTIP personnel, Ministries of Justice and Women Affairs, Civil Society Organizations, religious and traditional leaders, and the media from Adamawa and Taraba States.
Declaring the training open, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Lami Bello, said the aim is to build the capability of stakeholders to have a better understanding of issues of human trafficking and violence against persons.
She was represented by the Director of Investigation and Monitoring, Mr Aondona Orti,lami noted that the North East has been affected by insecurity for years, leading to an increase in crimes bordering on human trafficking and violence against persons, especially among displaced populations.
Lami Bello called for the establishment of an anti-trafficking intelligence framework, strengthening intelligence-led border management, and improving child protection systems in IDP and border communities.
The director General of NAPTIP then called on state governments to collaborate with the National agency for the prohibition of Trafficking in persons in combating the fight against human Trafficking and violence against persons as the agency can not to do it alone
Other recommendations include developing community-based early warning mechanisms and expanding digital intelligence and forensic capacity.
In a welcome address, the representative of NEDC Taraba, Engineer Amahyel Tagwi Tarfa, said NEDC was established to coordinate interventions in the North East with a focus on rebuilding lives and protecting the most vulnerable.
He stated that human trafficking, SGBV, and irregular migration remain major challenges in the region as a result of insurgency and displacement, adding that the training aligns with NEDC’s pillar on Social Stability and Humanitarian Response.
Facilitators at the training include Assistant Director Intelligence, NAPTIP, Oluwabori Ogunkanmi, who spoke on data collection and early warning indicators; Taraba State Commandant, Juventus Yititoe, who presented on displacement and the trafficking nexus; Assistant Director Intelligence, Isah Abdulkarim, on digital recruitment and online exploitation; and Victoria Ronald and Linda Buba, who spoke on policy development and referral pathways for victim assistance.
Some participants, including Seti Kungaba from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, Taraba State, and Sani Audu from a Civil Society Organization, described the training as timely and pledged to step down the knowledge gained in their places of work.
The highlight of the event was the plenary and panel discussion, questions and answers, and group presentations. Participants were divided into four groups to develop joint action plans for the North-East Region.
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