Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Civil Society Organisation for Conflict Resolution in Nigeria (CS-CRIN) and media practitioners have united to intensify the fight against human trafficking in Kano State amid revelations that the state received over 5,000 returnees in the last three years.
The partnership was unveiled in Kano on Thursday during a media engagement to launch the project “Strengthening Community Resilience and Institutional Capacity to Address Human Trafficking in Kano State, Nigeria.”
The project is funded by the Global Initiative through the Resilience Fund and implemented in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration, IOM.
The Executive Director of CS-CRIN, Mr. Aremu Adedeji, disclosed that out of 9,000 returnees recorded nationwide in the last three years, close to 5,000 are from Kano State.
He identified Kumbotso and Ungogo Local Government Areas as major hotspots for trafficking and irregular migration, with the highest concentration of returnees.
“Help us unravel the causes; what is making people to traffic human beings and people going on irregular migration in that axis,” Adedeji urged journalists.
According to local media reports, Adedeji described the media’s role as critical in countering misinformation, raising public awareness and ensuring responsible reporting on victims and survivors.
The Head of Enlightenment and Public Information at NAPTIP Kano Command, Mr. Umar Muhammad, described the media as the “Angel” in the fight against trafficking.
“Without the media, many victims will remain in silence. You are the angels who give voice to the voiceless and expose the perpetrators,” Muhammad said.
As part of the intervention, CS-CRIN announced plans to train 40 community paralegals to serve as “First Hand Responders” and over 150 Civil Society Organisations including media for project implementation.
The organisation also announced the formation of Journalists Against Transnational Organised Crime, JATOC, in Kano and inaugurated a five-member committee to drive the process.
Stakeholders called for stronger collaboration between NAPTIP, CS-CRIN, IOM, media houses, traditional institutions and community structures to strengthen referral pathways and victim support services.
