By Harry Awurumibe, State House, Abuja
Chairman and Chief Operating officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Mrs. Abike Dabiri- Erewa has called out National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for not doing enough to checkmate the activities of human traffickers who have continued to smuggle Nigerian women abroad.
Speaking to the State House Press Corps after visiting the Presidential Villa Abuja to brief President Muhammadu Buhari on the Nigerian woman rescued in Lebanon from human traffickers, she accused the NAPTIP of not doing enough to stem the tide of trafficking in persons in Nigeria.
According her, “trafficking strictly is not the job of the Diaspora Commission, it’s NAPTIP that will answer the question of what they are doing about human trafficking. But what we (Diaspora Commission) are doing is that when we get a distress call we act. We are doing our best, we have been able to get our girls back from Oman and even from Cairo. Not too long ago some returned from Egypt…NAPTIP is doing something but they have to do more”.
On the recently rescued Nigerian in Beirut Dabiri-Erewa said, “We are glad that the Nigerian Embassy in Beirut was able to rescue Omolola who video went viral, a victim of trafficking in Beirut. And we really thank our Ambassador and the staff of the mission.
“What happened was that since there is a way to communicate they went to the place and was able to bring her back.
Now she worked for several people but the boss whose picture is out, actually has to provide the ticket as well as provide her passport in order to return her home and we are glad Omolola is back but here is the thing there are many many more that have been traffick and that are stranded even in Lebanon.
Continuing she said, “Trafficking, the agents, those behind the trafficking need to be arrested. But that really is the responsibility of NAPTIP which am sure NAPTIP is working on but it has to be multi agency approach.
Now I would rather discribe it as an epidemic. There are thousands still stranded in Beirut and the Embassy has been bringing them back from time to time.
