From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person, (NAPTIP), with the support of International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Benue State Government has restated its commitment in the fight against human trafficking and other offences therewith.
It would be recall that in February 2021, the parties had set up the Benue State Task Force on Human Trafficking with members drawn from different agencies, NGOs and CSOs with aim of fighting human trafficking in the state.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Task Force in Makurdi, Chairman of the State Task Force, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Benue State, Barr. Michael Gusa said the focus of the meeting was to brainstorm on the way forward in the fight against Human Trafficking in Benue State.
Gusa who lanented that issues of Human Trafficking were evolving into different forms and trends, enjoined members to work together in a more coordinated manner to nip the crime in the bud in the state.
On her part, representative of IOM, Mrs Bertha Nguvulu, while pledging IOM’s continuous support for NAPTIP especially for the implementation plan, urged the members to look at the area of strength that Benue has in the eradication of Human Trafficking and develop a plan of action to address all identified gaps.
Also speaking, Zonal Commander, NAPTIP, Makurdi Zonal Office, Mrs Gloria Bai, expressed confidence that the members of the state task force would come up with workable plans that when implemented, would check incessant cases of human trafficking in the state as well as render assistance to victims of Human Trafficking.