Nigeria NAPTIP Reacts To US 2019 Trafficking In Persons(TIP) Report

The Attention of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has been drawn to the 2019 United States Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report released on Thursday 20th June 2019, by the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

1. We are gratified but not satisfied that Nigeria was upgraded to Tier 2 from Tier 2 Watch List which the country had occupied for two years.
2. The report noted all the efforts made by NAPTIP and other duty bearing Agencies to respond effectively to the scourge of Human Trafficking in Nigeria, but still insisted that the” government of Nigeria does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant effort to do so”.
3. Looking though the report however, it is clear that the efforts of the Government of Nigeria and NAPTIP in particular have not been given due credit, rather the report presents a picture of a desperate search for reasons to put down Nigeria.
4. While a more comprehensive national reaction will be made after due consultation with other relevant Agencies especially the Military high command, we hereby make the following preliminary observations:

i. The report notes that Nigeria has doubled its rate of prosecutions and convictions in the last one year, including the investigation and prosecution of Government Officials suspected to be involved in Human Trafficking offences including NAPTIP officials, but turns around to hold the Government culpable for not meeting the conviction of any of these Officials. This is curious because the United States Government is aware that Nigeria practices Separation of Power between the Executive and the Judiciary. Once a case is in court, Government cannot force a conclusion one way or the other, otherwise it will amount to interference in the judicial processes.
ii. While agreed on one hand that the Nigeria military does not employ child soldiers, the report goes on to quote an unnamed Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) who alleged that “10 Males soldiers in Giwa Barracks, including 5 who worked in the health clinic coerced at least 15 females detainees into sex in exchange for food, soap, basic necessities and the promise for freedom”

iii. Indeed, the report is replete with unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations by local and international Non – Governmental Organizations (NGOs) alleging all kinds of misdemeanors in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. One would have expected that if the US Government was really interested in reporting the truth, these allegations should have been cross- checked with the relevant Government Agencies before relying on them to indict a country.

1. It must be noted that weighing the efforts of Nigeria particularly NAPTIP against other Countries who have been highly rated by this Report, Nigeria ought to be in Tier 1 and not in Tier 2.
2. We urge the US government to radically review its method and criteria for the assessment of countries’ efforts to fight Human Trafficking, otherwise this report will continue to slide into irrelevance.

Dame Julie Okah – Donli
Director General