Nigeria Content Online

The three Nigerians recently arrested by marine
police in Akwa Ibom State while attempting to smuggle 55 nationals of
Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso to Gabon for onward movement to Europe,
will soon be prosecuted, officials of the National Agency for
Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) have said.

The agency also said at least 85 persons involved in
human trafficking have been successfully prosecuted by the Agency since
2003 when it was established.

Speaking to journalists yesterday in Benin City,
Chuzi Egede, the Executive Secretary of the NAPTIP, said the 55
foreigners have since been re-united with their families through their
various embassies, just as he said that the agency has achieved 100 per
cent in the prosecution of arrested persons involved in human
trafficking.

“Only two weeks back, we received about 55 victims
who were rescued from the high sea by the marine police in Akwa Ibom
State and we have since reunited them with their families,” he said.
“All of them were from neighbouring countries of Togo, Benin, Burkina
Faso and the likes and, through their embassies, we have been able to
take them to their countries and the three Nigerians who were
trafficking them to Gabon are in our custody and as soon as
investigations are completed, they will be prosecuted in our law
courts.”

Rehabilitated victims

Mr Egede said the agency had successfully convicted
20 persons as at July this year, adding that the agency has
rehabilitated about 800 victims. The agency has rehabilitation centres
in seven zonal offices of Lagos, Benin, Enugu, Uyo, Maiduguri, Kano,
Sokoto and Abuja. “When we see victims, they are taken to these
shelters and they are rehabilitated and the experts are there to give
them all the care they want,” he said.

The agency’s Director, Counselling and
Rehabilitation, Lilly Oguejiofor, said the National Policy on
Protection and Assistance to Trafficked Persons in Nigeria has even
been adopted by other countries in West Africa for use in the
rehabilitation of trafficked persons within the sub-region.