No fewer than 60 victims of human trafficking and gender based violence in Enugu on Wednesday received treatment by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP).
The victims received the treatment during a medical outreach organized by NAPTIP in Enugu State in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, (ICMPD) under the project “Strengthening Niger-Nigeria Cooperation on Countering Trafficking in Human Beings”. a Kingdom of the Netherlands funded program.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Prof Fatima Waziri Azi, while delivering an address, said the outreach had become necessary to address issues of trauma and sexual exploitation of victims of human trafficking. Represented by the Director Counseling and Rehabilitation, NAPTIP, Mrs Angela Agbayekhai, the Director-General said the victims always had medical issues, which might not even be known immediately.
She said the program would enable them to get medical attention and drugs as a way to reintegrate them properly into the society.
“This program is reaching out medically to victims who have gone through human trafficking“ The agency feels that even though they have returned, they still need to be taken care of medically. You understand and agree with me that crime of human trafficking is clandestine “so it’s hidden and not written on anybody’s face so nobody will come out to tell you, I’m into trafficking. So we work with a lot of informants because we cannot do it alone.
“These victims come back with so much mental illness, diseases, traumas and much negative things because of what they have gone through and so this program has been put together in collaboration with ICMPD.
“It is aimed at ensuring that the medical history of these children and victims are looked into to find a way of addressing those areas they have challenges so that they can become better citizens,” she said. She explained that when we reintegrate them after canceling and rehabilitation, through NAPTIP, they would be back into the society better than when they left in the first place. “These victims on return, some of them are not able to have medical treatment and so this is bringing the doctors to their doorstep. So that if there is any issue that can be addressed medically.
She thereby enjoined the general public to always help NAPTIP with information that will lead to arrest of human traffickers adding “ If you see something, say something. If you suspect any awkward movement, report to us so that we investigate before we carry out any action,” she said. Director Counseling and Rehabilitation, NAPTIP, Mrs Angela Agbayekhai In a remark, the Head of Region, International Centre for Migration on Policy Development, West Africa, Dr. Mojisola Sodeinde, said their action was a way of giving support to 60 victims of human trafficking in Enugu State, Nigeria. Represented by the Program Assistant, ICMPD, Adeniyi Bakre, the Head of Region, explained that the key objective of the project was to build capacity of shelter operators in identification, care, reception, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims. This, he said, includes providing medical assistance and welcome packs to VOTs upon reception, and enlighten them on health issues.
He said ICMPD is an international organization with 20 Member States, Active in more than 90 countries worldwide, it takes a regional approach in its work to create efficient cooperation and partnerships along migration routes.
The regional head NAPTIP and its counterpart, ANLTP/TIM for taking the bold step to institute a formal process for bilateral cooperation on issues relating to trafficking in human beings. “Our sincere gratitude goes to the Ambassador and people of the kingdom of the Netherlands whose profound generosity has committed financial resources to bring to reality the aspirations of Nigeria and Niger to cooperate in mitigating the menace of human trafficking.
“They provided support to victim of trafficked persons between Niger and Nigeria,” he said.
