Two organisations on Wednesday sensitised some Nigeria-Niger Republic border communities at Kongolon, Katsina State, to the dangers of human trafficking.
They are the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise was held also in collaboration with the Nigerien National Agency for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Illicit Trafficking of Migrants (ANLTP/TIM).
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Speaking at the event, Mr Adeniyi Bakre, ICMPD’s Programme Assistant, said the sensitisation was part of efforts to strengthen cross-border cooperation between NAPTIP and ANLTP-TIM in the fight against trafficking in persons.
He represented the Head, ICMPD, Dr Mojisola Sodeinde, at the sensitisation,
Bakre said the exercise was part of activities implemented under the framework of the project: “Strengthening Cooperation between Nigeria and Niger on Trafficking in Persons.’’
He said the project was funded by The Netherlands and implemented by ICMPD, NAPTIP and ANLTP/TIM.
“The sensitisation is targeted at the local population around the border communities on both the Nigerian and the Nigerien sides.
“While NAPTIP focused its outreach at the Babura Local Government Area of Jigawa State and Kongolon areas of Katsina, the ANLTP-TIM concentrated its efforts in Zinder, Niger.
“The sensitisation is designed to hold concurrently on both sides of the border, including joint caravan sensitisation and communities’ dialogue at Kongolon border town, Katsina.
“The objective is to sensitise the border communities on the ills and dangers of trafficking in persons and other transnational organised crimes in and around the border areas.
“Furthermore, it seeks to encourage inter-departmental synergy and co-operation between security agencies and facilitate exchange and flow of vital information on crime between law enforcement agencies in the border areas.
“The project: Strengthening Niger-Nigeria Cooperation on Countering Trafficking in Human Beings was launched at a two-day event held on June 14 to June 15, 2021 in Niamey,’’ he said.
According to Bakre, it is centred on chatting a way forward for joint sensitisation, identification, referral of victims as well as prosecution of cross-border trafficking in-person cases between Niger and Nigeria.
In his remarks, Mr Josiah Emerole, NAPTIP’s Director, Public enlightenment, who represented the Director-General, Dr Fatima Waziri, described human trafficking as an organised crime.
He added that over the years, Nigeria and Niger Republic had been working together to end it.
He noted that Kongolon border was one of the gateways used by traffickers to perpetrate their act.
“For this reason, the ICMPD and NAPTIP have come to sensitise this border community to the dangers of human trafficking and human organ harvests,’’ he said. (NAN)
