Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
Efforts to combat human trafficking in Nigeria have received a boost with the inauguration of the Abia State Task Force on Human Trafficking in Umuahia, the state capital.
The initiative, led by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), is aimed at strengthening grassroots response and coordination in tackling the crime.
The task force was inaugurated on behalf of the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, by his deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, alongside key stakeholders including NAPTIP Director General, Binta Adamu Bello.
Speaking at the event, Governor Otti described human trafficking as a grave violation of human dignity and a betrayal of trust, stressing that the new task force represents a strategic move to eliminate trafficking and related crimes in the state.
He urged members to treat their roles as a call to duty in restoring hope and securing a better future for citizens.
In her remarks, the NAPTIP DG Binta Bello highlighted that human trafficking remains a major transnational organised crime that undermines national development. She noted that the task force would enhance community-level interventions, improve intelligence sharing, support victims, and strengthen enforcement efforts.
Also speaking, IOM Chief of Mission, Sharon Dimanche, represented at the event, disclosed that Abia becomes the 16th state to establish such a task force with the organisation’s support, reaffirming continued assistance in key operational areas.
The task force, chaired by the Abia State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna, includes representatives from government agencies, civil society, and other stakeholders, and is expected to drive coordinated action against human trafficking across the state.ordinated action against human trafficking across the state.