FG urges commissioners to advocate against human trafficking

The Federal Government has called on Commissioners for Women Affairs from across Nigeria to leverage their positions to advocate for policies and budget allocations that would directly combat human trafficking and exploitation.

Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, made this call at the 27th National Stakeholders Consultative Forum (NSCF) on human trafficking in Nigeria, held in Abuja on Wednesday.

Fagbemi urged the commissioners to push for the inclusion of human trafficking-focused budgets and programs, both directly and indirectly related to combating trafficking, in their states.

He also recommended the creation of a dedicated budget line for state task forces on human trafficking to institutionalize their efforts in the states.

“The fight against human trafficking is not just about statistics or targets; it is about human dignity, freedom, justice, and national integrity,” Fagbemi emphasized, reaffirming the Federal Ministry of Justice’s commitment to supporting the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) through continuous policy formulation, legal reforms, and high-level advocacy.

In his address, Mr. Cheikh Toure, the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), stressed the need for all stakeholders to unite in the fight against human trafficking.

He pointed out that the forum served as a vital platform for federal and state actors to align their strategies, saying, “Policy means nothing without turning it into action,” and highlighting the importance of cooperation between federal, state, public, private, and global partners.

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Switzerland’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Egloff, also spoke at the event, highlighting the global and local impacts of human trafficking. He noted that trafficking fuels exploitation and undermines national security.

Egloff reaffirmed Switzerland’s support for Nigeria’s efforts through the “From Policy to Action” project, which aims to strengthen the implementation of the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking 2022-2026.

Earlier in the forum, NAPTIP Director-General, Hajia Binta Adamu-Bello, expressed her gratitude for the stakeholders’ support since she assumed office in September 2024.

She noted that their collaboration had led to significant progress in the fight against human trafficking, including gaining the commitment of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and securing legislative backing from the House of Representatives.

Adamu-Bello called for continued collective efforts, emphasizing that human trafficking remains a grave issue that requires urgent attention.

“As a society, we have a choice: to fight together or to become enablers through our silence,” she said.