Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has called on governments at all levels to take steps to curb human trafficking in Nigeria.

She made the call at a strategic meeting with Binta Bello, the director-general (D-G), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), on Friday, in Abuja.

Ms Dabiri-Erewa said that more needed to be done to curb the menace.

She said that the traffickers should be named and shamed while enforcing stricter penalties as a deterrent to other criminal actors.

She called for closer collaboration between NAPTIP, NiDCOM, the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), and other sister agencies to curb the menace

The NiDCOM boss also pushed for more flexible policies and better funding to help NAPTIP fully carry out its mandate against the menace.

The NiDCOM boss also pushed for more flexible policies and better funding to help NAPTIP fully carry out its mandate against the menace.

She lauded the support of the first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), neighbouring governments, Nigerian Diaspora Communities, Wema Bank and NGOs for helping to rescue and reintegrate trafficked victims.

She commended the NAPTIP D-G for her dedication, and pledged NiDCOM’s continued support in the fight against human trafficking in the country.

“We will continue to do our best to save these young ones and encourage safe and regular pathways for migration,” she said.

Earlier, the NAPTIP boss thanked Ms Dabiri-Erewa for NiDCOM’s support, especially in the recent rescue of 231 young Nigerians from Ghana.

She said that tackling human trafficking required joint action from government, society, and key stakeholders.

The D-G also stressed the need for more awareness across all levels to highlight the dangers of trafficking,

“We rescued last week 19 girls all pregnant for one man in an estate in Abuja, we received nine girls from Cote D’ivoire, and many others,” she said.

Recognising NiDCOM’s role in engaging with Nigerians in the diaspora, she expressed her commitment to strengthening the NiDCOM-NAPTIP relationship.

Ms Bello assured that the Agency would continue to protect the rights and dignity of Nigerians against trafficking in persons.

(NAN)