NAPTIP intensfies sensitisation in rural communities to combat human trafficking in Enugu

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has intensified efforts to combat human trafficking and violence against persons through community sensitisation and advocacy engagements initiative.

The initiative was being implemented through a four-day Joint Community Sensitisation and Advocacy Outreach on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Violence Against Persons (VAP).

Speaking during the dialogue meeting on the initiative on Tuesday in Enugu, the NAPTIP Director General, Mrs Binta Bello, said that the agency was adopting a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society” approach to address the growing menace.

Bello, represented by NAPTIP’s Director of Research and Programme Development, Mr Josiah Emerole, noted that both human trafficking and violence occur more in rural communities; thus, making grassroots participation critical in prevention efforts.

She said that the agency was partnering with traditional rulers, religious leaders, security agencies, civil society organisations, women and youth groups to develop a formidable blueprint to tackle the crimes.

According to her, the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) with funding support from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

She disclosed that Enugu State was selected as the only state in the South-East to host the dialogue, underscoring the strategic importance of community involvement in the fight against trafficking and violence.

In his remarks, the Project Manager of the TIPVAP Project, Mr Matthias Esene, said the project was designed to build resilience among vulnerable populations and strengthen protection systems across Nigeria.

The project manager said that the project sought to enhance community-level responses by actively involving traditional institutions, religious bodies, civil society organisations, women groups and youth associations.

Esene explained that the project consisted of IP, which focused on awareness creation among students, and the VAP component aimed at addressing trafficking and violence against persons within communities.

He noted that the initiative was developed to bridge the gap between Federal interventions and realities at the grassroots, while addressing both international irregular migration trends and local forms of violence that eexposed individuals to exploitation.

Corroborating, the Chairman of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Samuel Asadu, emphasised the need to protect and empower women and girls.

According to him, understanding the factors that make people vulnerable to trafficking is key to preventing the crime.

The royal father urged communities to embrace self-help initiatives and take ownership of efforts to safeguard residents, rather than relying solely on external support.

He called for collective action among families, community leaders and relevant stakeholders to curb human trafficking and violence, describing both as threats to sustainable development and social stability.

The renewed campaign is taking place under the TIPVAP Project which aimed at ‘Building an Environment Free of Human Trafficking and Violence Against Persons in Nigeria and the STEAP Project.