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Waziri-Azi: NAPTIP has Achieved 624 Convictions

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Waziri-Azi: NAPTIP has Achieved 624 Convictions

By: Michael Mike

In 20 years, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has secured 624 convictions for trafficking in persons offenses, the Director General of the agency, Prof Fatima Waziri-Azi has disclosed.

Speaking at the ceremony to celebrate the 20 years anniversary of the agency in Abuja on Thursday, Waziri-Azi said NAPTIP has progressed from its very first command in Benin -Edo State to offices in 32 states and task force against human trafficking in 22 states.

She said. “We have made progress in our criminal justice response with a significant increase in convictions (624 Convictions since the first conviction was secured in 2006″.

Waziri-Azi further said the agency secured 80 convictions in 2022 which is the highest in a single year since the inception of NAPTIP and 48 convictions and counting in 2023 including for the first time the conviction of a law enforcement officer for human trafficking offences

The DG while noting that the agency has prosecuted several mutual legal assistance cases, said on the 8 of March 2023, NAPTIP was able to extradite a high profile human trafficker to Italy to serve out her 13 years jail term.

She said: “Our recent strategic partnership with Meta (owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) and the United States National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children have further enhanced the capacity of NAPTIP to tackle issues of online child exploitation.”

She noted that Nigeria is better poised to control and tackle human trafficking because of the collaborative efforts of everyone.

Waziri-Azi said last year, with support from our supervising Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Alfairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, not one but three policy documents targeted at revolutionizing the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria, including the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking (2022-2026); were approved by the Federal Executive Council.”

She added that: “Today we will present more policy documents and innovations and they include: NAPTIP Disability Inclusion Policy, NAPTIP Service Charter, policy documents that have been transcribed into braille for the blind in collaboration with the disability commission.”

She noted that part of the improvement of the agency was the rebranding of the organisation’s logo, that has already been mainstreamed.

She said: “The rebranded logo represents a re-commitment from NAPTIP to protect all persons against human trafficking, and violence against persons through a people-centered access to justice, and the provision of safe spaces.”

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo in his address reiterated that human trafficking knows no boundaries, stressing that it thrives in the shadows, exploiting vulnerabilities and preying on the marginalized and defenseless.

Sani-Gwarzo who was represented by the Deputy Director of Humanitarian, Charles Anielo said, on the part of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, the coordinating ministry for all humanitarian and migrations issues in Nigeria, Federal government is committed to combating all aspect of irregular migration which requires multi-stakeholders’ engagement in comprehensive and protect multidisciplinary manner that proactively focuses on how best to and assist vulnerable persons within the entire migration circle and punish the perpetrators.

He said: “We have witnessed the incredible power of cooperation and the unwavering dedication of countless individuals who have come together to combat the injustice of human trafficking.

“Today we pay tribute to each and every person and we celebrate the numerous lives that have been transformed, the futures that have been rewritten, and the hope that has been restored.”

Waziri-Azi: NAPTIP has Achieved 624 Convictions

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Security forces arrest “Gwandara” notorious kidnap kingpin, logistics supplier in Bwari Abuja

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Security forces arrest “Gwandara” notorious kidnap kingpin, logistics supplier in Bwari Abuja

By: Zagazola Makama

Security forces have arrested a notorious kidnapper and major logistics supplier to bandits identified as Y’au Ibrahim Dauda, popularly known as “Gwandara 01”.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the suspect was apprehended by the Scorpion Squad at about 5:40 p.m. on Thursday in Bwari following actionable intelligence.

According to sources , Dauda has been on the wanted list of security agencies for his alleged role in several coordinated kidnapping operations within the FCT, particularly across the Bwari axis, from 2024 to date.

Investigations further linked him to multiple abductions around the Garam area of Tafa LGA in Niger State and Bwari, including the kidnapping of a pastor in 2024 at the El-Rufai Estate, near the Nigerian Law School, Bwari.

The sources said that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and recover their weapons.

Security forces arrest “Gwandara” notorious kidnap kingpin, logistics supplier in Bwari Abuja

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VP Shettima Returns To Abuja After Successful Engagements At G20, AU–EU Summits In South Africa, Angola

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VP Shettima Returns To Abuja After Successful Engagements At G20, AU–EU Summits In South Africa, Angola

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Abuja from Luanda, Angola, after successfully representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 7th African Union–European Union (AU-EU) Summit held in that country.

The Vice President had on Sunday departed South Africa for Luanda after a successful outing at the 2025 Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, where he also represented the President.

In Angola, Senator Shettima delivered President Tinubu’s statement in which the Nigerian leader intensified the nation’s call for Africa to secure permanent seats with veto-wielding authority on the United Nations (UN) Security Council, insisting that comprehensive reform of the global governance system is long overdue.

The President, in his statement, also tasked the European Union (EU) with co-creating peace and security initiatives alongside its African partners, anchored on African-led frameworks as a pathway to achieving sustainable stability across the continent.

The Nigerian leader reaffirmed the country’s firm commitment to advancing peace, security and democratic governance across Africa, and collaborating with the European Union to build a more stable, just, and prosperous world.

Earlier at the first session of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, the President urged world leaders to come up with a more equitable and responsive system to manage global financial flows and sincerely address the recurring debt crises in a manner that meets the needs of all nations.

In his speech delivered by VP Shettima on Saturday, President Tinubu noted that the multilateral frameworks, currently being relied on, no longer reflect the complexities of the present world, as they were “built in an era far removed from” the present challenges.

At the third session of the G20 Leaders’ Summit on Sunday, the President called for a global framework that benefits communities hosting critical minerals in Nigeria and Africa, ensuring value addition at the source.

He also backed the creation of global ethical standards for Artificial Intelligence (AI), aimed at accelerating development across the world.

VP Shettima Returns To Abuja After Successful Engagements At G20, AU–EU Summits In South Africa, Angola

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WAFAI COMMENDS PRESIDENT TINUBU FOR RECENT RESCUES; DEMANDS URGENT, DECISIVE ACTION ON NATIONAL SECURITY

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WAFAI COMMENDS PRESIDENT TINUBU FOR RECENT RESCUES; DEMANDS URGENT, DECISIVE ACTION ON NATIONAL SECURITY

The Women and Family Advancement Initiative (WAFAI), an NGO focused on family values, societal morals, policy implementation, and advocacy, has commended His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his resilience and commitment in securing the release of the 38 recently abducted church worshippers in Kwara State and some students from Saint Mary’s Private Secondary School, Papiri, in Niger State.

The Founder & CEO of WAFAI, Dr. Uche Francisca Obi, made the remarks in a press release today at the organization’s headquarters in Abuja. Dr. Obi said, “While we celebrate these victories, more must be done to curb the rising insecurity so that families across Nigeria can rest peacefully.”

She added, “The President’s efforts are greatly lauded, especially the good news that all 25 girls abducted from a school in Kebbi have regained their freedom. However, we are deeply concerned about the silence surrounding other kidnapped students still awaiting rescue. As a family-oriented leader, I share the pain of families yet to be reunited with their wards.”

Dr. Obi urged, “We call on the government to expedite efforts to safely return these students to their parents.”

She concluded, “Prioritizing security and tackling it head-on at this critical period will diminish narratives of foreign interference. Nigeria is a sovereign nation capable of handling its internal matters. With the willpower and right perspective from the government, insurgency can be defeated, restoring hope and self-sufficiency to families nationwide.”

WAFAI Media

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