The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has reaffirmed its commitment to a rights-based response to trafficking and violence nationwide.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu-Bello, made the pledge on Tuesday at the second steering meeting of the Trafficking in Persons and Violence Against Persons project.
The meeting was organized by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in partnership with NAPTIP, with support from the Netherlands Ministry of Asylum and Migration.
The support falls under the ‘Building an Environment Free of Human Trafficking and Violence Against Persons in Nigeria’ project, which was attended by Dutch government delegations and key stakeholders.
The Dutch delegation was led by Mr Victor Cramer, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Asylum and Migration, alongside Ms Isabelle Wolfsgruber, ICMPD Nigeria Head of Office.
Adamu-Bello said NAPTIP was ready to consolidate gains from the project’s inaugural meeting in August 2025 and expand its reach to transform lives.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this second Project Steering Committee meeting under the Justice and Security Migration Partnership Programme,” she said.
She expressed appreciation to the Government of the Netherlands for its continued support in strengthening Nigeria’s counter-trafficking interventions.
“We also acknowledge ICMPD for its technical expertise and sustained collaboration in advancing these projects,” she added.
Adamu-Bello said the meeting would review progress across Benue, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory.
She explained that it would also address emerging challenges, lessons learnt, and strategic adjustments needed to achieve the project’s objectives.
The director-general stated that the programme aims to strengthen investigative and prosecutorial capacity, operationalise the Cybercrime Response Team, and establish standard procedures.
She added that training on referral mechanisms and sustained awareness campaigns have recorded significant progress since the project began in February 2025.
Adamu-Bello described the steering committee as the highest oversight body, ensuring accountability, coordination, and alignment with national and international standards.
Cramer thanked NAPTIP for hosting the Dutch delegation and commended the agency’s dedication to protecting vulnerable Nigerians.
“Your dedication to protecting Nigerians and raising awareness about human trafficking is truly inspiring and much needed,” he said.
He noted that Nigerian victims still constitute a significant share of identified trafficking cases in the Netherlands.
“We see a connection between sexual exploitation and forced criminality, underlining the need for coordinated prevention, protection, and prosecution,” Cramer said.
He added that strengthened cooperation and capacity building would reduce dangerous migration routes and enhance the joint fight against trafficking.
“I am encouraged by the progress under this project and look forward to discussing recent developments,” he said.
Wolfsgruber thanked NAPTIP for inviting the Dutch partners to assess ongoing anti-trafficking efforts in Nigeria.
She urged the committee to remain focused on achieving project objectives for improved results.
“We acknowledge the human rights-centred design of this programme and its focus on real needs on the ground. I believe we have made remarkable progress, identifying critical intervention areas step by step,” Wolfsgruber added.
