To combat human trafficking through the sea, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) as well as a Non-Governmental Organization, MMS WoFHoF Initiative are forging collaboration to nip the menace of trafficking in human persons in the bud
By Edu Abade
With a strong resolution to firmly combat human trafficking through Nigerian waters, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and a Non-Governmental Organization, MMS WoFHoF Initiative have expressed their readiness to work together to achieve a common goal.
To that extent, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, has canvassed inter-agency and multi-sectoral collaborations to combat the rising incidents of human trafficking and stowaways in the nation’s marine and blue economy sector.
Describing the menace as ‘transnational organized crime,’ he said human trafficking accounts for global loss of over $100 million yearly, saying the crime began to flourish in Africa in the last 10 years, taking a dangerous form.
He stated this while receiving NAPTIP and MMS WoFHoF Initiative teams, during a courtesy visit to his Abuja Office to explore possible collaboration to combat human trafficking through the sea.
The visit, which is one of several in the offing, as an engagement tool and means of rallying relevant agencies, ministries and stakeholders in the Marine and Blue economy sector, was facilitated by the MMS WoFHoF Initiative on the strength of the partnership it had reached with NAPTIP to help combat the menace of human trafficking by sea and gender-based violence.
Sharing compelling narratives on how he had handled human trafficking cases as a prosecutor for the nation in the past, Akutah affirmed that NAPTIP Act of 2003 derived its source from the transnational organized crimes convention 2000, which Nigeria is a signatory.
Reaffirming that NAPTIP was one of the agencies set up to handle different aspects of criminal activities Nigeria was trying to fight, he said, “The menace has become something we should all join hands together to combat because it leads to a lot of criminal activities. The maritime sector is not left out of this as stowaway remains a veritable means of transporting victims to other countries. You know, before now, they used land transport.
“Now, Stowaways have become a major means of transporting these people-victims, to where they are needed. So, we thank God that we are bringing this awareness at the right time, when our Minister, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, the first Minister of the ministry, who is a determined leader, is looking at ways to improve the maritime sector.
He said the Minister had spoken vehemently against sexual harassment within the sector, especially on board ships at a stakeholders’ engagement forum organized by a sister agency to create awareness on sexual harassment in the maritime sector.
“This is one issue that the Minister will take very seriously. As the port economic regulatory agency in the sector, we are concerned about the port economy and these are criminal activities that also destroy the port economy. So, it is also within our mandate to go into this partnership with NAPTIP and MMS WoFHoF and we are committed to that partnership going forward.
“Within the port sector, we have many other agencies that are very material in this struggle. NIMASA is one of them. They are assigned the responsibility of maritime security and safety, they are also a very important partner that you can work together with,” he stated.
For NAPTIP, the visit was part of the strategic engagements of its Director-General with critical government agencies and partners across the country aimed at enhancing inter-agency collaboration in the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria.
Speaking during the visit, NAPTIP Director-General, Hajia Binta Adamu Bello, who described the NSC as a critical partner, disclosed that due to the intense operation heat on traffickers on the land borders by operatives of NAPTIP, some of the traffickers have now resorted to using the waterways to traffic their victims.
“As a maritime regulatory body, the NSC oversees critical gateways to the nation’s trade and transportation systems, gateways that are unfortunately also exploited by traffickers to move victims clandestinely via vessels and other maritime routes. The shipping, ports, and logistics sectors can play a pivotal role in early detection, prevention, and reporting of trafficking activities, making collaboration between NAPTIP and NSC not only strategic but essential.
“NAPTIP is proposing to deepen engagement with the maritime sector in the fight against human trafficking, especially in sensitization for identification of potential trafficking cases along the waterways and timely reporting to relevant authorities.
“We propose a collaboration targeting port workers, shipping agents, freight forwarders, crew members, and other maritime stakeholders to identify and report suspected trafficking activities using NSC’s outreach structures, the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM) platforms and Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) channels to integrate anti-trafficking awareness.
“Bearing in mind that the fight against human trafficking requires a united, multi-sector approach and that the maritime sector under the regulatory leadership of NSC is a critical partner in closing the trafficking supply chain, NAPTIP expresses its readiness to formalize collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) or an agreed action plan for sustained engagement. NAPTIP and NSC can strengthen Nigeria’s maritime security, while protecting vulnerable persons from exploitation,” the NAPTIP DG stated.
MMS Plus reports that a NAPTIP official had recounted with pains how Nigerian victims are dehumanized abroad especially in relative poor countries, saying, “Just two months ago, we rescued 79 victims from Cote d’Voire 75 of who were young ladies of adult age. The remaining four were children delivered out of their circumstance. And what do they do in Cote d’Voire?
They take them to mining sites where they erect tents for them, give them mattresses and pillows. When the men finish the day’s work at mining sites, they go back to the tent and relax and have sexual relationships with the girls. Even the stipend due to them was not paid directly to them, but through an agency. They were rescued back to Nigeria with the collaboration of security agencies and the management of Air Peace Airline.
To stem national disgrace of this kind, the NAPTIP boss added, “This is why we need the Council to ensure that we have good understanding, so that we can combat the transnational organized crimes by sea. We know it goes on by land, through the air and through the sea.”
Speaking, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of MMS WoFHoF Initiative, Hajia Lami Tumaka, stated, “The need for collaboration and awareness has become pressing to mitigate risks and financial losses. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the global shipping industry lost $8.9 million to 364 stowaway incidents between February 2020 and February 2021.
“We believe your involvement would contribute significantly to mitigating these risks and promoting a sustainable environment for the shipping industry. This aligns with the NSC’s role as the port economic regulator and its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) sustainability.”
Tumaka, who has been inducted into the maritime sector Hall of Fame, urged the NSC and other agencies in the maritime sector to collaborate with NAPTIP and MMS WoFHoF Initiative to create robust domain awareness against human trafficking and stowaways, adding, “We’re here to request your collaboration and endorsement for a One-Day National Policy Dialogue focused on combating human trafficking by sea and stowaway incidents.”
She disclosed that the dialogue, scheduled for October 30, 2025 in Lagos, is aimed at addressing the rising threats to maritime security and the Nigerian shipping industry.
