By Emmanuel Elebeke & Grace Udofia

The European Union (EU) has announced a N5.5 billion support to the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in Nigeria and other ECOWAS states in their fight against human trafficking.

According to the donors, the investment is part of their efforts to end human trafficking in Africa, noting that trafficking in persons is always a problem that need collective effort to be addressed.

Speaking at the event, the DG of NAPTIP, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba who acknowledged the financial support by EU and ECOWAS lamented what she called the poor training and regulation of NAPTIP personnel in recent years, which she said informed her decision on assumption of office to build their capacity and attune them with the present realities of human trafficking.

The DG, who was represented by Mr. Josiah Emerole, noted that the strategic plan of the Agency has evolved as a foremost centre for excellence where other sister law enforcement agencies in Nigeria and in other African countries could come to learn good practices in the fight against human trafficking.

According to her, the meeting marked the official commencement of the Demand Driven Project (DDF) support to NAPTIP under the support of free movement of persons and migration in West Africa funded by EU, ECOWAS and ICMPD.

“Major strategies in this regard include the establishment of a training department, the development of a training strategy and standardisation of training content and methodologies”.

Jedy-Agba, noted that the resource centre is the first of its kind in West Africa, and is designed to meet the training needs of agencies involved in the combat against TIP in Nigeria and in West Africa as a whole.