The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP), has inaugurated an 18-member Task Force on human trafficking in Jigawa.
The task force was inaugurated by Gov. Muhammad Badaru in Dutse, the state capital on Friday.
Badaru, who described human trafficking as ‘worrisome’, said the state is seriously concerned about the people of the state.
“We’re concerned about the development of our people, as human trafficking is worrisome, we will do our best to support NAPTIP in fighting it.
“We have challenges of borders and exit towns to Niger republic, Libya and the Mediterranean.
“And most the traffickers do their operations through the northern borders, particularly in Jigawa and Katsina.
“Therefore we will continue to support NAPTIP to combat the menace,” Badaru said.
He also expressed the hope that thetask force is competent enough to discharge its duties, considering its composition.
Earlier, the Director General of the agency, Sen. Basheer Garba, said the task force is to sensitise vulnerable groups, provide service and support to victims of human trafficking.
Garba, represented by Mr Hassan Tahir, the Director, Legal and Prosecution Department in the agency, added that the task force is also responsible for sharing information and enforcing the law on human trafficking.
“The state task force has a pivotal role in ensuring adequate sensitization at the grassroots level and among vulnerable groups.
“They are to also provide service and support to victims who have been rescued and reunited with their families. They are also responsible for sharing information and enforcing the law,” Garba said.
He recalled that the agency had, between 2004 and 2007, established State Working Groups on Human Trafficking with the support of UNICEF.
The DG said the working groups brought together key stakeholders in each state under the leadership of state governments to share information, carry out sensitisation programmes and forge strategies for combating human trafficking within their domains.
“Unfortunately, the gains of that initiative could not be harnessed because many of the state governments that came to power in 2007 did not continue the programme of support to the state working groups.
“NAPTIP has worked assiduously to give effect to the decision of the 45th National Economic Meeting, held on 24th January, 2013, that states should support NAPTIP’s activities in order to strengthen the national response to human trafficking at the subnational levels.
“So as part of these efforts, NAPTIP is collaborating with state governments to set up task forces against human trafficking under the supervision of state governors in order to consolidate the efforts of the agency and other stakeholders,” the DG said.
Garba, however, pointed out that the roles of the task force required a strong political will and budgetary provisions on the part of the state governments, in addition to the commitment of traditional institutions, religious and community leaders.
According to him, the agency will share reporting templates with the state task force that would enable it to collate quarterly data on subnational efforts and to provide analysis.
“The analysis will be disseminated to state governors who are in reality, the custodians of the task force.
“The challenges ahead of us are quite enormous.
“So new initiative must be developed for ensuring adequate resources for the rehabilitation of returned victims of human trafficking and irregular migration in order to mitigate both menaces.
“Bigger and adequately equipped shelters, vocational training facilities, empowerment programs and scholarships must be put in place for the victims,” Garba emphasised.
He further stated that worried about the ugly trend of the trafficking of young Nigerian women, mostly from the North West and neighbouring states to the Middle East, the agency needed to be strengthened to bring the trend to an end.
“We are not oblivious of the financial challenges you’re facing in the governance of the state.
“It is however, our firm belief that our presence in Jigawa state will go a long way in mitigating the crime of trafficking thereby creating a safer society for our people.
“In view of this, we wish to passionately request for office space for the establishment of our command in Jigawa, a donation of operational vehicles to enable the agency effectively patrol the state and respond to distress calls and; donation of a bus for use for victims of trafficking in the shelter for ease of their movement and sponsorship of grassroots sensitisation campaigns against the ills of human trafficking in all the LGAs of the state,” the DG requested.