A-TIPSOM tasks NAPTIP, Police, others on human trafficking

By Habibu Harisu

Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (A-TIPSOM), has called on the Police and other security agencies to embrace the use of modern identification devices.

The Project Adviser, Mr Sani Dantuni-Bello, made the call on Tuesday at a three-day capacity building programme organised by the organisation in Sokoto.

A-TIPSOM is a project being funded by the European Union and implemented by Ibero-America Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP) to reduce human trafficking in the country.

The project was part of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) signed between the European Union and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

According to him, the use of such devices will help in tracking and reducing human trafficking in the country.

Dantuni-Bello said that the programme was aimed at training the participants on identifying migrants, smugglers and human traffickers for investigation and prosecution of perpetrators.

Represented by the Project Team Leader, Mr Rafael Molina, Dantuni-Bello, said that the training was meant to strengthen the capacity of the participants in different areas of trafficking.

”The exercise is part of the measures to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Nigeria.

”Frontline officers are from National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP); Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); Nigeria Police Force (NPF); and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

”We also included civil society organisations that were closer to people in order to facilitate more understanding on trafficking and identification techniques, ” Dantuni-Bello said.

He noted that the project was contributing to the government’s initiatives aimed at reducing the ratio of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants at national and regional levels.

”This is done through direct support to Police, NIS, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the civil society organisations represented by the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), ” Dantuni-Bello said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 70 participants were selected from Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States, Illela, Jibiya and Kamba to participate in the training.

Lectures would be presented on the Role of Civil Society in Identification of TIPSOM, Gender Considerations, Identification and Profiling Indicators and Standard Operating Procedures, amongst other topics. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)