BY UTHMAN BABA-NASEER ,MINNA.
The National Agency For the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP),Niger State Command has said it would collaborate with relevant agencies and critical stakeholders in the state to curtail the scourge of trafficking in persons in Niger State.
The agency in Ñiger State has also requested for team work with security agencies and members of Public to make the state inhabitable for child and exportation of under age girls for house maid and trafficking in Persons, and under age girls for prostitution outside the country.
The State Commander of the Agency in Niger State, Mr Emmanuel Awhen stated this while Fielding Questions from Journalists in his office in Minna Wednesday.
He maintained that the agency in Ñiger State will collaborate with other related agencies in the state to bring an end to the scourge of trafficking in persons calling on the people of Niger state to report any cases of trafficking in Persons to the command for prompt action.
" NAPTIP as an agency is new in Niger State. We have visited all relevant sister security agencies,the DSS,the Police,the Civil Defence the immigration,the custom and all critical stakeholders.
" The visit is to see how to collaborate with them to bring an end to child trafficking at least to the barest level in Niger State. We need information from the people of Niger State to bring these traffickers to justice" the commander told Journalists.
Mr. Emmanuel Awhen, described as painful the increasing rates of trafficking in Persons, Children of school age particularly girl child being engaged as housemaid calling on perpetrators to desist or they should be prepared to incur the full wrath of the agency.
He said, NAPTIP as an agency saddled with the mandate in the arrest, Investigation and the prosecution of offenders of trafficking and child labour as well as exportation of under age girl child for exporation exploration and prostitution will go after such offernder in the state
According to the state Commander of the agency, Niger state Command came into existence about two months ago as a result of its transit to neighboring countries adding that the Niger State Command was established to checkmate the trafficking in Persons particularly underage children out of the country.
He warned that the command will continue to discharge its duty in its commitment to ensure trafficking in Persons free in Niger State.calling on well meaning organizations in Niger State to partner with the agency in making Niger State inhabitable for traffickers of persons in the state.
Speaking further, the state Commander of the agency told Journalists that NAPTIP will also go after medical Personnel that are involved in trafficking in kidney, disclosing that in the agency law is known as "Organ harvest " NAPTIP as an agency will go after such medical personnel"
Mr Emmanuel Awhen then admonished media practitioners in the state to partner with the state Command of the agency to Collectively achieve the set goal of NAPTIP in the Onslaught against trafficking in Persons in Niger State.
He called on the general public in Niger State to report any cases of trafficking in Persons to the state command headquarters located at Women multi purpose centre along old Secretariat in Minna Niger State.
