The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons says it has received 88 rescued victims of human trafficking from the Côte d’Ivoire government.
NAPTIP’s Director-General, Dr Fatima Waziri, gave the indication in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sideline of the second session of the Nigeria-Cote d’Ivoire Bi-national Commission in Abidjan, on Saturday.
Agreements on agriculture, digital economy, education, consular and immigration matters and prevention of human trafficking, were signed, among others, at the meeting which was co-chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Ivorian Prime Minister, Patrick Achi.
Waziri said that since 2014, Nigerian and Ivorian governments, through NAPTIP, had been collaborating in different spheres.
She said that 11 of the 17, 000 victims rescued by NAPTIP were Ivorians, while the Ivorian government had handed over 88 victims to the agency.
Waziri said that over the years, Nigeria enjoyed collaboration and intelligence sharing with the neighbouring country, adding that “The agreement covers issues of prevention; enforcement, returning and rehabilitation of victims.
“It also covers issues of repatriation, repatriation of assets connected to issues of trafficking in persons.’’
She said that aside Cote d’Ivoire, efforts were underway to formalise similar agreements with The Gambia, Niger Republic, Mali, South Africa, among others.
“We have started conversations with The Gambia; I think conversations with The Gambia actually started probably 2018 or 2019 but we are looking forward to formalising it.
“The draft MoU is currently being looked (into and) reviewed by the Federal Ministry of Justice. We also have one with Niger Republic which, I believe, will be signed this or next month.
“Then, we have one with South Africa that is still in the works. We also have with Mali,’’ she said.
(NAN).
