Nigeria, Gambia take strategic counter-trafficking step towards reducing  incidence of human trafficking

A strategic counter-trafficking step towards reducing the incidence of human trafficking between Nigeria and Gambia was taken on Tuesday 13th June 2023, as a Joint Technical working committee on the implementation of an already signed MOU between the two countries, was inaugurated.

Speaking shortly before the inauguration of the Committee, DG of NAPTIP,   Prof Fatima Waziri-Azi, expressed hope of addressing the rising cases of human trafficking to the Gambia, occasioned by the thriving sex tourism, using the aforementioned legal framework with the support of State and Non – State Actors in the Gambia and the Nigerians community in Banjul.

Prof Fatima Waziri-Azi also stated that Nigeria is collaborating with other countries apart from the Gambia. According to the DG, in 2021, the country signed a bilateral agreement with the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and another with the Republic of Burkina Faso, while in 2022, one was signed with Niger Republic and the cooperation with Niger Republic has very been fantastic.

The Gambian Executive Director of the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP), Mrs Isatou Dabo said that the number of Nigerians being trafficked to the Gambia for prostitution is far greater than from any other country. While lamenting that a good number ofNigerians have been trafficked into the Gambia mostly for Sexual exploitation. She however expressed confidence that the collaboration between the two countries will bring the situation under control.

Present at the event was the Country Rep of the UNODC, Mr. Oliver Stolpe, the Head TIP Desk at the ECOWAS Mr. Olatunde Olayemi, Rep of ICMPD Head of Region, Mr. Lamine Daffe, Senior Justice Advisor INL, Mitchele Washington, Rep from the Embassy of the Netherlands Mr. Anton Geirtz and other dignitaries.