The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has embarked on an intensive capacity-building programme aimed at enhancing the skills of investigators and prosecutors in tackling human trafficking and violence against persons across Nigeria.
Declared open in Lagos by NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Bello, the workshop is organised in partnership with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), with funding support from the Ministry of Asylum and Migration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands under the TIPVAP-NG Project.
Bello stressed that the increasingly sophisticated strategies of human traffickers require equally advanced investigative and prosecutorial capacity.
“The complex nature of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Violence Against Persons (VAP) demands a multidisciplinary response,” she said. “We must improve collaboration, strengthen evidence handling, and enhance our investigative skills to outsmart the criminal networks behind these crimes.”
She noted that the rise in cyber-enabled trafficking—leveraging encrypted messaging, social media, and digital payment systems—has posed fresh challenges for law enforcement. Poor evidence management and inconsistent practices across federal and state institutions, she added, continue to undermine successful prosecutions.
The TIPVAP-NG project seeks to address these gaps by providing practical training on evidence preservation, cyber investigations, and coordinated responses across agencies.
Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, commended the initiative and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting NAPTIP through the State Task Force on Human Trafficking.
ICMPD Project Manager, Tunde Omoyeni, underscored the importance of synergy among agencies, emphasising that “no single organisation can effectively respond to crimes as complex as human trafficking and violence against persons.”
Netherlands Consul-General in Lagos, Michel L. H. Deelen, praised NAPTIP’s efforts and reaffirmed his country’s continued support for Nigeria’s anti-trafficking initiatives.
Over the four-day training, participants will be equipped with advanced tools and competencies to combat cyber-enabled trafficking, strengthen inter-agency cooperation, and ensure that evidence is preserved with integrity for successful prosecution.
