The official handing over ceremony of the Countering Human Trafficking office in Lagos witnessed the presence of prominent figures, including the Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, and esteemed dignitaries such as the Honorable Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN.
The event, organized by the General Manager of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency (LNSA), Mr Ifalade Oyekan, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the PROMIS project, marked a crucial milestone in the collaborative efforts to combat human trafficking.
In her welcome address, Director General Waziri-Azi expressed gratitude to the Governments of the United States and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, represented by the Consul General of the US Embassy, Mr William Stevens, and First Secretary of the Kingdom of Netherlands Embassy, Eva de Wit, respectively. She commended their unwavering support and commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s criminal justice response to human trafficking, as implemented by UNODC.
The Director General also extended appreciation to the Lagos State Government, particularly through the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, for their renewed dedication to addressing the prevalent issues of human trafficking. She underscored the significance of Lagos State, being a transit and destination for both internal and external trafficking.
Highlighting the agency’s recent accomplishments, Waziri-Azi disclosed that in 2023, the NAPTIP Lagos shelter rescued and received the highest number of trafficking victims, comprising both Nigerians and Non-Nigerians. Furthermore, she revealed that in 2022, out of the 2,838 victims rescued and received nationwide, 119 were indigenes of Lagos State.
Emphasizing the importance of awareness creation and education, the Director General urged all stakeholders to focus their efforts on strategic and targeted awareness campaigns in identified endemic areas of Lagos, namely Agege, Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry, Eti-Osa, Alimosho, Apapa, and Iganmu.
Director General Waziri-Azi concluded her remarks by commending the General Manager of LNSA, Mr Ifalade Oyekan, and his team for their efforts in rebranding the agency and consistently finding innovative ways to combat various crimes across Lagos State.
The event was attended by various stakeholders, including the UNODC Deputy Country Representative, Danilo Campisi, implementing partners, members of the Lagos State Task Force on Human Trafficking, members of NACTAL, representatives from various law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, and the media.
