Nigeria inaugurates border committee to tackle human trafficking, smuggling of migrants

The Nigerian government has inaugurated “Stakeholder’s Forum on Border Management” to tackle human trafficking and smuggling of migrants through the country’s borders.

The Committee was inaugurated as part of the activities of the Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Nigeria (A-TIPSOM), a project funded by European Union.

The International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) is supporting the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to host this year’s Stakeholders’ Forum on Border Management which was established by the National Migration Policy.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Committee, Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dr Fatima Waziri- Azi, told participants at the meeting held at the Reiz Continental Hotel, Abuja, that unwavering cooperation and collaboration were very essential in a bid to effectively manage the nation’s borders and bring the incidences of human trafficking and smuggling of migrants under control.

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The NAPTIP Director General said: “It is important for all the law enforcement agencies in the country to jointly work together through improved strategies in order to enhance adequate policing of our borders, stop the activities of human traffickers and also rescue any potential victim of trafficking.

“It is clear that human traffickers are evolving, this is obvious because as an aftermath of the COVID – 19 pandemic, they have changed their pattern from physical recruitment to online fishing and luring of victims. Therefore, if these criminal minded people can form synergy in order to advance their illicit business, we, as legitimate law enforcement agencies, can jointly work together to send them out of business.

“Ours should be a formidable echo system of rescue government agencies, once any of the agency is lacking behind, the entire eco system is disrupted and this may be a loophole for the human traffickers to operate unhindered.

“Therefore, our collaboration is critical. We are allies and not competitors”, Dr Fatima Waziri–Azi said.

She commended the ongoing cordial working relationship between NAPTIP and the NIS which according to her, had resulted in the rescuing of some victims of human trafficking in Katsina and other states. She sued for its sustenance.

Dr Fatima Waziri–Azi, expressed gratitude to the European Union for funding the project and also thanked the A-TIPSOM/FIIAPP for the implementation of the project.

In his speech, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr Idris Jere, who was represented by the Deputy Comptroller General of Immigration (Visa and Residency). Mr Ishaka Haliru, stressed the need for inter-agency cooperation and synergy among all members of the Committee.

The NIS DCG tasked members of the Committee to share credible information and intelligence that will lead to arrest of traffickers and interception of victims of human trafficking and irregular migration.

He called for the creation of buffer zones in order to tackle the challenge of porous borders in the Country.

Also in his opening remarks, Team Leader of A-TIPSOM, Mr Rafeal Rios Molina, said the project is to bring together critical managers of borders in the country and come up with effective strategies that will assist in improved control of the exit points.

Mr Molina thanked the European Union for funding the project and assured of continuous support of A-TIPSOM to NAPTIP and NIS.

The Forum is expected to focus on issues relating to the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol, border security, trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants and related matters.

Key members of the Committee include Nigeria Police, NAPTIP, NIS, Nigeria Custom Service, Port Authority, Border Communities, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants &IDPs, CSOs among others.