By Precious Owolabi, Ado-Ekiti

The Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Dayo Apata (SAN), has expressed the readiness of his office to collaborate with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to tackle the growing challenge of human trafficking in the state.

Speaking on behalf of the Attorney General during a courtesy visit by NAPTIP officials, the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Mr Sunday Bamise, assured the agency of the ministry’s full support.

He disclosed plans to secure office accommodation for NAPTIP in the state, provide a vehicle for transporting victims and offer additional logistical assistance to aid the agency’s operations.

Earlier, the Ekiti State Commander of NAPTIP, Mr. Oladimeji Ademola, commended Mr. Apata for his consistent support and provision of essential resources that have enhanced the agency’s activities in the state.

Ademola noted that NAPTIP is currently collecting data and conducting public sensitisation campaigns across schools, religious centres, markets and other community spaces to raise awareness about human trafficking, which he said is becoming increasingly prevalent in rural areas.

He emphasised that addressing the menace requires collaboration with multiple stakeholders, saying that NAPTIP is working alongside the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other relevant agencies to intensify the fight against trafficking in Nigeria.

Also speaking, a representative from the National Bureau of Statistics, Mr Tayo David, who is supervising a three-day data collection exercise in Ekiti for the UNODC’s Nigeria report on Trafficking In Persons (TIP), praised the cooperation and resilience of local government stakeholders visited so far.

David noted that their strong support has been instrumental in ensuring the success of the programme in Ekiti State.