The Chairman Northern Governors Forum (NGF) and governor of Plateau state Simon Bako Lalong has indicated willingness to use his leadership position in the north to fight trafficking in humans in the region.
He said as Chairman of governors in the zone, he will mobilise his members to key into the fight against the illicit business with aim to eradicate the obnoxious business is the north.
Gov Lalong expresses his willingness to spearhead the battle when he visited the Director General National
Agency for the prohibition of trafficking in persons (NAPTIP)
Gov Lalong and the NAPTIP boss during the visit
Lalong who insist the trafficking in humans should not be allowed to thrive in the entire country regretted poverty and illiteracy has fuelled the illicit business in the country.
He therefore called on all stakeholders to, not only partner with the agency, but also assist it in achieving it’s set objectives.
Earlier, the Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim while receiving Lalong in her Abuja office said the agency is opening up new visters of partnership that will embrace more institutions and donors towards tackling the crimes of trafficking in human beings which is on the rise.
She said the Agency has commenced a wider consultation with State governments and other critical stakeholders in building a solid platform for preventive approach to the fight against trafficking. This she said was the best way to go because the situation where victims are traumatised and negatively affected before rehabilitation is reactive and does not go far.
The NAPTIP boss said it was cheaper and more profitable for human trafficking rings to be identified and disrupted while the victims are protected rather than allowed to undergo harrowing experiences with some of them losing their lives.
She commended Governor Lalong for being one of the first in the country to sign into law the VAAP Act and Child’s Rights Law which are major instruments for the fight against human trafficking and other violent crimes against children and other persons.