FG set to rescue Nigerians trapped in Mali

The Federal Government (FG) is making moves to rescue Nigerians trapped in various mining areas in Mali. The government through the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has begun profiling the victims and working out modalities for evacuating them back to Nigeria.

This is being done through advocacy and working tours of Mali with a view to addressing the exploitative conditions that these Nigerians who are victims of human trafficking are in. The Director General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah, made this known in Abuja at the end of the year forum with media partners.

She said that NAPTIP had visited the plenary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament to brief members on the situation of trafficked victims in Mali and other migrated routes within the ECOWAS sub region. She said, “Advocacy and working tour of Mali with a view to assessing the exploitative conditions of Nigerian victims of human trafficking trapped in the mining areas of the country, profiling them and working out the modalities for evacuating them back to Nigeria.

“Advocacy and enlightenment visit to the plenary of the ECOWAS Parliament where I briefed members on the situation of trafficked victims in Mali and other migrating routes within the ECOWAS sub region and the need for regional cooperation and policy to arrest the situation. Permit me to inform you that the agency in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration policy Development (ICMPD) and the National Commission for Collages of Education (NCCE) mainstreamed trafficking in persons issues into the minimum standards (Curriculum) of Colleges of Education in Nigeria.

“As a follow up, no fewer than 400 teachers of colleges of education have been trained by personnel of this agency and the NCCE on those issues and methodology to adopt in teaching them. It is important to note that these will be taught as a General Studies Course in colleges of education from January 2020. This activity is part of deepening awareness creating programme to ensure that children from cradle understand issues of human trafficking.”