- New DG vows to go after high profile human traffickers
The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dr Fatima Waziri-Azi, has vowed to go after high profile human traffickers across the Country saying that her administration will not spare any offender no matter their status in the Society.
She said NAPTIP shall redesign it operational strategies and embrace the involvement of wide spectrum of stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking in the Country.
Dr Waziri-Azi stated this on Monday at the Corporate Headquarters of the Agency shortly after taking over as the new Director General from Senator Basheer Garba Muhammed.
Read Also: Lagos eyes $60m investment as Sanwo-Olu signs green bond market deal
It would be recalled that following the recommendation of the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, President Muhammed Buhari, had on Wednesday 8th September 2021, announced the appointment of Dr Fatima Waziri – Azi as the new Director General of the Agency.
Speaking after the formal handling over by her predecessor, the new NAPTIP Boss who lauded Management and Officers of the Agency for its modest achievements in the areas of arrest, rescue, prosecution and awareness creation, said the negative narrative about Nigeria as a Source, transit and destination for human trafficking must be changed.
She stated that, “ I am not here as your Director General to rock the boat. Rather I am here to join hands with you and ensure effective coordination of the fight against human trafficking in the Country. We all must re-strategize and change the negative perception and narratives about Nigeria as the Source, Transit and destination for human trafficking.
“Under my stewardship, we shall increase our effort and ensure arrest and prosecution of high profile individuals involve in human trafficking, domestic violence and other related offences.
“We must go after the heads of those trafficking syndicates and root them out of Nigeria. We will follow the money that are classified as proceed of those illicit trade and bring all the culprits to book”, the NAPTIP Director General said.
She listed her priority to include rapid response and prosecution of all cases of human trafficking especially those classified and “High profile Cases”, full implementation of provisions of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Acts (VAAP), enhanced coordination of all Departments and Unit for efficient service delivery, increased strategic partnership as well as enhanced awareness creation.
Speaking earlier, the outgone Director General, Senator Basheer Garba Muhammed, had outlined his visions for the Agency which included the expansion of the existing sheltering facility in order to accommodate large number of victims and well as setting up of State Task Forces on Human Trafficking as part of counter –trafficking initiative of the Agency.
Highpoint of the taking over ceremony was the inspection of guard of honour mounted by Officers of the Provost Unit of the Agency.
Dr Fatima Waziri – Azi is the 7th Director General of NAPTIP.
