Nigeria, France, Italy Launch Joint Initiative to Combat Human Trafficking
Nigeria, France, and Italy have launched a joint initiative tagged Common Operational Partnership (COP Nigeria) to strengthen the fight against human trafficking and enhance the capacity of Nigeria’s anti-trafficking agency.
The partnership, unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday, aims to bolster the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in dismantling trafficking networks and protecting victims along migratory routes.
European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, said the initiative aligns with the EU’s renewed action plan on migration and human rights, describing it as a “whole-of-route” approach that fosters international cooperation between countries of origin and transit.
French Ambassador Marc Fonbaustier said combating human trafficking is not only a legal obligation but a moral duty, stressing that the COP project seeks to strengthen law enforcement capacity, improve intelligence sharing, and coordinate victim support services.
NAPTIP Director-General, Hajia Binta Adamu-Bello, represented by Josiah Emerole, said the project — funded by the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and implemented by France’s CIVIPOL — would focus on Cross River, Osun, Katsina, and the Federal Capital Territory as pilot areas.
She noted that COP Nigeria would enhance investigation, prosecution, and rehabilitation efforts while promoting intelligence sharing and regional cooperation across West Africa.
Comments
This post currently has no comments.