FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, on Tuesday empowered two victims of human trafficking with industrial sewing machines, big generators, driers with accessories, mannequins, weave ons and jacuzzi.
One of the ladies, 24 years old (name withheld) from Benin, Edo State, was trafficked to Ghana in 2019 for two years, while the other from Agbor, Delta State, (22 years) ended up in Burkina Faso for a few months in 2021 for sexual exploitation until they were rescued by NAPTIP.
Benin Zonal Commander of the agency, Mr Nduka Nwanwenne lamented that the scourge of human trafficking had not abated despite the determined efforts of the agency to tackle it, adding that NAPTIP goes the extra mile of providing for the needs of the young girls after they have been rescued and freely counselled.
Mr Nwanwenne advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the items so as to become independent and less vulnerable to the antics of traffickers, noting that the agency succeeded in securing the conviction of the trafficker of the Agbor lady who was sentenced to seven years jail term and a fine of N12 million.
The zonal commander regretted that there had been cases of beneficiaries who sold items given to them by the agency to start another life.
“I will be happy if your businesses flourish so that nobody will come and sexually exploit you again. Victims are trafficked without the knowledge of their parents. Your success is our joy. Don’t sell the items. They are for your usage. We will go all the way to support you.
“Taking care of victims is central to the mandate of NAPTIP not just their rescue. This is an agency with a human face. It goes to correctional centres to see how those who are convicted for human trafficking serve their terms.
“We must commend the Director-General, Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi for the different empowerment programmes. This is the fourth this year and it is as a result of her determination to ensure a better life for the victims. Only last month, she provided items from the headquarters in Abuja for the empowerment of rescued victims,” Nwanwenne said.
