The Federal High Court Sitting in Sokoto State of Nigeria on 8^th 0f December, 2009 ordered the confiscation and transfer of monies seized from two traffickers; Gladys Joy Okonta (f) & Jonah Asarimwan (m) to the victims of Trafficking Trust Fund Established under the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Law Enforcement and Administration Act 2003 as amended.  A board was inaugurated in May 2009 by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Michael Kaase Aoandoaka to oversee the management of the Funds Seize from Traffickers for the welfare and rehabilitation of Victims.               

This provision in the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other related Matters (NAPTIP) law  has been commended by Local and international Partners. According to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Simon Chuzi Egede, this is the first time the assets and monies of traffickers trace to the commission of the crime of TIP has been Successfully transferred to the Victims of Trafficking Trust Fund. This has been regarded as a tremendous achievement for NAPTIP. The trafficking fund is also empowered to raise funds from members of the public to assist the victims. In the recent past, individuals, groups, cooporate bodies, United Nations Agencies and embassies have contributed to the fund.   

In another case decided by high court in Lagos, a convicted trafficker, Elele Biloko (M) was sentenced to two years imprisonment and in addition, the building used as a brothel where under aged girls were kept as prostitutes was confiscated. The court also ordered the auction of the brothel and the proceeds realized should be transferred to the victims fund for the rehabilitation of the victims.              

 The NAPTIP Director of Prosecution, Mr. A.O Shaibu stated that effort are in place to confiscated more assets and monies of convicted traffickers in some cases presently pending before the High Courts.

SPEECH BY THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF NAPTIP, BAR. SIMON CHUZI EGEDE, ON THE RELEASE OF ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

PROTOCOL

                 It is with great pleasure and honour that I welcome you to NAPTIP today for this press briefing. Prior to the existence of this Agency, the US government through its passage of the 2000 Trafficking Victim Protection Act as amended, demanded US Secretary of States to submit an annual global report on human trafficking to their congress. The objective is actually to stimulate action and grow partnership geared towards the elimination of the scourge of human trafficking in the world.

 2.             As a result of this, countries were assessed based on standards set forth in the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons. These standards have been expanded by NAPTIP to include rehabilitation and reintegration of victim back into the society.  In the annual report, countries are assigned and rated according to tiers 1-3, depending on the degree of compliance to the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking.

 3.             Upon emergence in 2003, our country Nigeria was on Tier 2 Watch list. This meant lack of compliance with the minimum standard and lack of adequate legislation criminalizing the act, corruption amongst enforcement officers, lack of assistance to victims and no political will to stamp out the scourge.

 4.             In the 2005 Report, the country was removed from Tier 2 Watch list to Tier 2, which indicated palpable effort at compliance with those minimum standards. The country has remained in Tier 2 Watch list since then.

 5.             Gentlemen of the Press and worthy Stakeholders, the US department of State has released the 2009 Annual Global Trafficking Report, which has elevated Nigeria to Tier 1.

6.             Coming hot on the heels of my first hundred days in office as the Executive Secretary of the Agency, we celebrate this testimonial of an independent assessor to our effort, both as a people, and as an agency.  The implication of this elevation is that the Government of Nigeria fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

8.             All these existing anomalies provide enabling environment for traffickers to criss-cross the region taking advantage of either lack of legislation or weak enforcement.  Internally so many States in the country have not adopted the Child Rights Act. Access to education in many states have not been made free, accessible and compulsory, lack of oversight functions by requisite agency in child protection department, corruption, weak enforcement and exacerbating poverty level, no thanks to the economic crisis, has increased the vulnerability ratio amongst Nigerians.  The challenges are many, but we will defeat them. It takes a greater energy to stay on top. This position was not attained by sudden fight, it has cost NAPTIP six years to move Nigeria to Tier 1 in this independent rating.

 9.             I am convinced that with the welfare policies, which we have reengineered in the Agency, the staff are more determined to engage these criminals than ever before.  We have opened a new office in Maiduguri bringing the number of our offices to seven in the country. We hope to open another office in the North Central zone in the near future.  The Agency has developed a holistic approach to victim care and protection, which has not only been approved by the Federal Executive Council, but also adopted as regional policy on Protection of Victims of human trafficking by ECOWAS Committee of experts in Ghana March this year.

 10.          Related to this, is the inauguration of Board of Victim of Trafficking Trust Fund wherein all proceeds of the sale of forfeited assets and properties of traffickers are paid into and managed for the development and welfare of the trafficked victims.

 11.          Just last week, the agency recorded a land mark feat with the convictions of eight traffickers in a space of seven days in federal and state high courts in Jos, Ilorin, Uyo, Lagos and Sokoto respectively.  It is a direct testimonial to fact of efficacy of our re-strategy in enforcement procedure, investigation, monitoring and prosecution.  This is in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies in the country and with the total support of the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN.

 12.          The springboard of our new effort is rooted on the fact that human traffickers should not enjoy the proceeds of their crime.  Naptip will not only prosecute them, and get them convicted by the courts but also make sure that their properties and assets traceable to their crimes are confiscated and sold in accordance to the law.

 13.          This moment of elevation to tier 1 is a renewal of my earlier call for the government, stakeholders, international organisation and destination countries to gird their loins for battle.  It calls for fresh injection of strength, vivacity, determination and commitment to pursue and achieve the elimination of those factors that predispose and enhance trafficking of Nigerian citizens out of the shores of the country, while we internally promote a protective environment.

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14.          Human trafficking is still a clear and present danger facing our country today.  Reports have come to the Agency of the existence of hold up centers in Libya, Mali, Morocco and Belgium populated by Nigerian victims of trafficking who can neither continue nor return to Nigeria.  The Agency solicits the intervention of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the National Assembly members to the plight of those unfortunate Nigerians to utilize all diplomatic resources necessary for their safe return back to Nigeria.

 15.          Besides the shame to the country, trauma to the citizen, no country can sustain and develop with the wicked depletion of its human resource which human trafficking has come to present.

 16.          I salute the courage of destination countries like The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Iceland, which have criminalized the purchase of sex in their domain, thereby strangulating demand, and the trafficking of victims into their country.  NAPTIP recommends any effort that will kill demand of victims of trafficking for any kind of exploitation.  I enjoin other destination countries to copy and adopt with requisite legislation any effort that strangulates the crime of trafficking without any repercussion to the victims.

 17.          NAPTIP is not by any means taking the credit solely for the elevation of the country to tier one.  Infact we acknowledge the support and contributions of all our partners like the Police, Immigration, the Civil Defence Corp, the Nigeria Custom, Non Governmental Organization like WOTCLEF, Idia Renaissance and above all the media for their support.   We also acknowledge the support of the organization in United Nation System like UNICEF, UNODC, the ILO and IOM.  But above all I wish to commend the efforts of my predecessor and Pioneer Executive Secretary of NAPTIP, Mrs Carol Ndaguba and all staff of the Agency.  The criminal challenge of human trafficking has permeated every nook and cranny of this country and has continued to pluck, possibly our best and brightest.  Those in whom this country could rely on as foundation for development.

 18.          The elevation of Nigeria to tier one has not freed our universe from the stranglehold of criminal syndicates who will want to continue with their crime.  We will not rest on our oars.  The agency and our allies will not bask on the cozy warmth of this elevation.  Not until our villages are free form  the preying eyes of the cold hands of traffickers, not until every child goes about without fear of abuse, ritualists, rape or exploitative labour, not until every state passes the child rights act and pursue its realization doggedly without resistant in their domain, not until the girl child is treated with respect necessary for productive endeavours in every family, not until every organization working on child protection renew and rededicate itself to deliver service and exercise committed oversight to each other necessary to eliminate trafficking in persons.  Until all these aggregate fall into place, it is not yet Uhuru and the environment of terror has not changed. 

 19.          I will conclude this speech by stating that the struggle to combat trafficking is a battle of good against evil.  Persons of every tribe, nationality, creed and clime must join hands together to ensure that evil does not triumph over good.  Our fore fathers shed their blood to abrogate slavery in the 19^th Century.  History told us that it was a long struggle.  Posterity will judge us if we allow all efforts to be in vain.  Evil triumph because good people choose to keep silent and do nothing against it.  I can assure you that with concerted effort good always triumphs eventually.

 20.          Ladies and gentlemen, the battle is still far from being won.  A lot still needs to be done.  A lot of frontiers are yet to be covered.  A lot is still needed to beat the criminal network. We all have a collective responsibility to stop the evil phenomenon for the sake of humanity.  On a final note, I urge all of us to open our eyes, Trafficking eliminates people, we can eliminate trafficking.

 21.          Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you all for listening to me.

SIMON C. EGEDE, ESQ

Executive Secretary, NAPTIP.

 17^th June 2009.