NAPTIP Boss Calls For Crippling of Human Traffickers Economically

Alex Enumah

The Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has called for the crippling economically of human traffickers by destination countries and international law enforcement agencies in order to win the fight against the menace.

According to a statement from an official of the Press and Public Relations Department, Vincent Adekoye, the DG made the call while playing host to the new Ambassador and Head of the European Union delegation to Nigeria, Mr. Ketil Karslsen.

‘’We must cripple traffickers economically by tracing and freezing their accounts for the benefit of victims of human trafficking. We must take their money and render them impotent,’’ she said.

Okah-Donli however, stressed the need for destination countries to work closely with the Nigerian embassies in the areas of victims’ identification; language barriers and assistance to victims.

She urged the European Union and her members to consciously deal with issues of pornographic sites, massage parlours and farms scattered all over Europe and where victims of human trafficking from Nigeria and Africa are daily exploited.

‘’What are the destination countries doing about the pornographic sites, massage parlours, and escort services? You have the factories, farms, restaurants and you can see them and the exploitations that go on in such places. Do more investigations in the destination countries and clamp down on those businesses. Look into yours as we are looking into ours,’’ she stated.

In his remarks, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria who stated that defeating the cartel of human traffickers require concerted efforts by all reiterated Europe’s commitment in the eradication of all forms of trafficking and irregular migration.

He, however, called for a change in the method of fighting the menace, saying that human traffickers are criminal opportunists.