Lukman Olabiyi and Lawrence Enyoghasu
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Lagos zonal command after 15 years of existence, has only recorded 89 convictions.
The command was established in 2004 with the mandate of combating the menace of trafficking in persons, child labour, abuse, organ harvesting, etc. in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.
The figure of its convictions from 2004-2019, was released by the zonal commander, Mr Daniel Atokolo at a press briefing in Ikeja, Lagos.
Atokolo also disclosed that apart from 89 convictions recorded by the command, a total of 4, 626 victims had been provided various levels of services at the NAPTIP Lagos Shelter.
The zonal commander blamed the judiciary, complainants and victims for the low number of convictions recorded by the agency within the period at the zone.
“There are many factors that cause a low number of conviction records by the agency; many cases are still pending in courts and without final pronouncement of the court; an accused still remains an accused.
“Besides, sometimes, lack of willingness by some of the victims /complainants to testify in court do harm prosecution; after being relieved, they show no interest in prosecution again and there is no law that empowers the agency to compel them to testify; otherwise the witness will turn hostile witness,” he said.
Speaking on various activities of the agency to actualise its mandate, Atokolo hinted that human trafficking issues were now to be covered by the school curriculum.
He added that the idea would make primary and secondary school students study human trafficking as a subject.
The zonal command also revealed that two female suspects that were allegedly involved in baby-sale racket had been arrested.
The suspects, according to the agency were involved in the sales of a-month old boy delivered by mentally-challenged women.
Atokolo said that the agency arrested the two women who were alleged to have been involved in selling and buying of the baby delivered by a mentally-challenged woman on January 30.
Facts from the agency revealed that it was the fifth time the mentally-deranged mother would be losing her child to the greed of the people around her.
The agency implored citizens to have interest in adopting babies to always follow the due process.
“Not following the due process to adopt a baby is a crime punishable by law because the illegal avenues availed unscrupulous elements the opportunity to exploit both the women and their young infants, even for ungodly activities such as rituals,” the commander said.
He also said that the agency under the leadership of its director-general, Dame Okah-Donli, would never relent in the fight against human trafficking.