The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has called for more collaborative efforts towards tackling human trafficking in Africa.

NAPTIP Director General, Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving officials from Liberia on a four-day study tour of the agency in Abuja.

She said that such collaboration would enable African countries to put in place robust fight against human trafficking.

The DG also called for political will among African leaders towards formulation of policies aimed at crippling activities of human traffickers.

“There should be convocation of an African conference on human trafficking, principally to discuss issues concerning human trafficking and the plight of teeming youths in the continent.

“There should be more synergy and mutual cooperation among law enforcement agencies within the continent so as to ensure accelerated investigation and prosecution of human traffickers,’’ she stressed.

Okah-Donli said that, part of the achievements of the agency since inception was the conviction of 408 persons involved in human trafficking, adding that, many cases were still pending in court, while investigation was ongoing in others.

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According to her, 16, 000 victims have passed through NAPTIP shelters since the inception of the organisation, after been given psychological support such as skills training, education, medical, empowerment and reintegration to the society and families.

The DG disclosed that the agency planned to build a regional academy on human trafficking that would assist in the fight against the menace in the continent.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Liberia delegation, Mr Alvin Anderson, said that Nigeria was chosen for the study tour because it has a bigger platform for checking human trafficking.

Anderson said that the delegation was in Nigeria to learn the methodologies being used to tackle human trafficking with a view setting up similar structures in Liberia.

“Nigeria is a very great country, very great in TIP issues and that is why we choose the country for our learning experience, we decided to bring together our stakeholders to have this learning experience,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation was made up of officials from different law enforcement agencies in Liberia. (NAN)