The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has called for stronger coordination among investigators, prosecutors and judicial officers to improve the prosecution and conviction of human traffickers and migrant smugglers in Nigeria.
NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Bello, made the call on Monday in Abuja at the opening of a capacity-building workshop on strengthening the criminal justice chain in human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases.
Bello said weaknesses at any stage of the justice process, from intelligence gathering and investigation to evidence collection, prosecution and adjudication, could undermine efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.
She said NAPTIP had secured hundreds of convictions against traffickers and was continuing to pursue appropriate sentences to serve as a deterrent to organised criminal networks.
The Director-General noted that trafficking syndicates were increasingly exploiting digital platforms, financial systems and cross-border routes, making stronger investigative and legal cooperation essential.
She said the agency was strengthening its capacity in digital evidence gathering, financial tracking and international legal cooperation, including Mutual Legal Assistance, to address the evolving nature of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Victim-Centered Approach
Bello also called for a victim-centred approach to criminal justice, stressing that survivors must be protected from further trauma throughout judicial proceedings.
She urged participants to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, share expertise and develop practical strategies to ensure that traffickers are denied safe havens while victims receive justice and protection.
Speaking at the event, Migration Policy Officer at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Franklin Nguendia, said the EU remained committed to strengthening the criminal justice chain for human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases.
READ ALSO: NEMA, NAPTIP, EFCC Report Operational Successes
Nguendia said the EU was ready to provide the necessary support, particularly to Nigeria, given the country’s strategic importance and its role in addressing migration and trafficking challenges across the African continent.
Similarly, Bello Omotosho of the Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas (FIAP) expressed the organisation’s readiness to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to strengthen the criminal justice response and tackle the menace of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Also speaking, the NAPTIP Commander, Cross River Command, South-South Nigeria, Dr Godwin Eyake, commended the workshop, saying it would strengthen participants’ professional skills and broaden their experience through interaction with key stakeholders in the criminal justice system.
The overall objective of the workshop is to strengthen the effectiveness of the criminal justice chain in human trafficking (THB) and migrant smuggling (SOM) cases by improving coordination among stakeholders, enhancing the quality of case files and strengthening the link between investigation, prosecution and judicial decision-making.
The activity also seeks to improve institutional coordination and inter-agency cooperation while enhancing the overall effectiveness of the criminal justice system in addressing trafficking and migrant smuggling cases.
 has called for stronger coordination among investigators){kind=link}