The Ekiti State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to partner more closely with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in the fight against human trafficking and related offences across the state.
This assurance was given by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata (SAN), during a courtesy visit by top NAPTIP officials to his office in Ado-Ekiti. Represented by the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Sunday Bamise, Apata emphasized the state’s readiness to support the agency’s operations and deepen collaboration towards completely eradicating human trafficking in Ekiti.
He further pledged that the Ministry of Justice would explore ways to assist NAPTIP in its enforcement and advocacy efforts, particularly in vulnerable communities.
Earlier, the NAPTIP State Commander, Mr. Oladimeji Ademola, appreciated the Commissioner for his continued support and provision of essential resources for the agency’s smooth operations. He noted that the NAPTIP team was in the state to gather data and carry out sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious centres, and marketplaces to raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking.
Ademola lamented the increasing rate of trafficking in rural areas, where underage children are often brought in as farm labourers. He stressed the need for joint efforts, revealing that NAPTIP is already collaborating with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other partners to tackle the issue nationwide.
Also speaking, Mr. Tayo David from the National Bureau of Statistics, Abuja, who was in Ekiti to supervise NAPTIP’s data collection programme, commended the cooperation of residents across local government areas. He praised their support in ensuring the success of the agency’s three-day awareness and data gathering exercise.