Stakeholders, NAPTIP , INTACOM Africa unite to Stop Human Trafficking

www.odogwublog.com reports that stakeholders at a one day sensitization workshop on Human Trafficking have resolved to unite and fight human trafficking in its all ramifications.
The sensitization was organized by National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons, NAPTIP, in collaboration with Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking and Community Development Initiative, INTACOM Africa.
The event was part of activities in commemoration of the 2015 World Day Against Human Trafficking which its theme was: Media and TIP Law as Effective Instrument in Combating Human Trafficking In Nigeria.  The event took place at Awka, the Anambra State capital.
Speaking, the Director and Founder of Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking and Community Development Initiative, INTACOM Africa, Okoye Hope Nkiruka decried the level of increase of trafficking in persons (TIP) across the country.
Okoye noted that the rate at which illegal migrants risked their lives all in the name of looking for green pasture and the activities of human traffickers gave her cause to worry. She therefore, called on people to desist from human trafficking and illegal migration because it was an inhumanity against man and self-degradation    
Publisher of Orient Daily Newspaper, Mr Godwin Ezeemo advised the parents to always checkmate their children to ensure that they are where they suppose to be at any point in time.
Ezeemo insisted that greed, discontentment and flashing of ill-gotten wealth by few wealthy individuals were the major reasons why people fall victim of human traffickers and illegal migration, while admonished people to say no to illegality of all sorts, he implored government, NGOs and individual to intensify efforts towards combating Traffic In Persons
In her goodwill message, the Head of Mass Communication Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Prof. Stella Okunna called Government to adopt multi-media approach in creating awareness against human traffickers. She equally thanked the NAPTIP for pursue rigorously the re-enactment of TIPPEA Act 2015 which according to her covers wider scope of the spectrum.
Okunna vehemently advocated for severe punishment for human traffickers, illegal migrant, the pregnant and the impregnators to serve as deterrence to any intending criminals.

   In her keynote address, the commander NAPTIP, Enugu zonal Command, Nkiruka Michael noted that it was a well known fact that one of the most serious violations of human rights in our society today was the issue of human trafficking, added that it was modern day slavery where human being are being taken far away location for exploitative economic gain.
Nkiruka further maintained that Federal Government, having recognized the danger TIP signifies, setup the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons, NAPTIP, as a paramilitary and law enforcement agency to eliminate and suppress the scourge of Trafficking In Persons and child labour.
According to her, “The Agency in order to carry out her statutory responsibilities effectively adopted a 4Ps strategy which includes Prevention, Prosecution, Protection and Partnership. This means that NAPTIP has the legal backing to carry out sensitization/workshop, investigate and prosecute human trafficking related cases, counseling, rehabilitate and reintegrate the victims/Survivors back to the society and collaborate with countries and media in combating Traffic In Persons”, she said.
While disclosing the effectiveness of TIP Act 2015as amended, the senior legal Officer of NAPTIP, Enugu Zonal Command, Nneoma Wokemba said that the  Trafficking In Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, TIPPEA Act, was the re-enactment  of 2003 as amended in 2005 to reposition the NAPTIP to be more responsive to the onerous challenges associated with combating the scourge of human trafficking in all its ramification through a legislation modeled with clarity, simplicity of language and uniformity of sentences
In her words, “The TIPPEA Act, Section 82 defines “Trafficking or traffic in person” as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercive, abduction, fraud, deception, the abuse of power of a position of vulnerability or the giving or receiving of payments or benefit to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person or debt bondage for the purpose of placing or holding the person whether for or not in involuntary servitude (domestic, sexual or reproduction) in forced or bonded labour, or in slavery-like conditions, the removal of organs or generally for exploitative purpose”. 
She further asserted that the perpetrator, upon conviction is liable to seven (7) years imprisonment or pay the fine between N250,000 to N10,000,000 or both depending the gravity of the involvement.