25,000 Nigerians held in slave, sex camps in Libya – NAPTIP

By Taiye Odewale

Abuja

Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Julie Okah-Donli, has disclosed that more than 25,000 Nigerians have been held in slave and sex camps in Libya.
Ms. Okah-Donli made this known while defending the agency’s 2018 budget before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on Tuesday.
She said, of the figure, about 5,000 of the victims were repatriated within the period.
“A large number of Nigerians have also been returned from other countries in Europe and Africa. All these people need to be properly received, profiled and assisted.
“NAPTIP has been working in conjunction with other governmental and non governmental agencies such as NEMA, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and others to provide help to these unfortunate Nigerians,” she said.
She lamented that in spite of the evils of human trafficking, not so much attention was focused on the menace, saying the recent trend which marked the resurgence of slave trade was more alarming and required the attention it deserved.
“In recent months the odious and perverse consequences of human trafficking and irregular migration were forcefully brought to our television screens with gory tales,” she said.
The NAPTIP boss further said many victims of trafficking needed to undergo skills acquisition training or formal education and commended the federal government and other stakeholders for their support in the wake of recent slave trade of Africans.
“I wish to place on record my deep appreciation to President Muhammad Buhari for consistently putting the issue of human trafficking at the centre of global discourse at various international fora.”

 

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