The Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency (LNSA) has set up a Human Trafficking and Taskforce Centre in line with the efforts of the State Government to curb the menace of Human Trafficking across the State.
The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), stated this during the handing over ceremony of the Countering Human Trafficking Office donated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Governments of the United States and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located inside the Headquarters of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency at Oshodi.
He said the Centre will bolster the fight against Human Trafficking, not only in Lagos State but across the Southwest region of Nigeria, stressing that the dedication of the Centre to house the Human Trafficking Unit of the LNSA and the Taskforce on Human Trafficking is a testament to the commitment of the State Government to the fight Against Human Trafficking.
He also seized the opportunity to thank the United Nations, especially the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Governments of the United States and the Kingdom of the Netherlands for the donation of such a befitting Office Space, just as he commended the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for their collaborative efforts in the fight against Human Trafficking.
Earlier, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Professor Fatima Waziri commended the Lagos State Government and the LNSA for the State’s effort in tackling the menace, imploring the agencies to continue in effective collaboration as information sharing is very critical.
On her part, Mrs. Eva de Wilt of the Kingdom of the Netherlands traced the collaboration between Nigeria and the Netherlands on human trafficking to some years back and confirmed that the two countries have recently been developing new methods against the menace. “Those fighting Human Trafficking cannot rest because the perpetrators are always evolving tactics”, she stated.
The Consul-General of the United States Embassy, Will Stevens said the United States Government will continue to assist various arms of government and agencies fighting human trafficking, especially in the area of capacity building and attributed the recent spike in human trafficking to the “JAPA” syndrome.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency (LNSA), Prince (Dr.) Ifalade Oyekan, FSIN, thanked the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for the vision to rebrand the Agency which has resulted in a lot of tangible achievements.
Oyekan also commended the donor Agencies for their support to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the LNSA, assuring them and the good people of Lagos State of the commitment of the LNSA to deliver on the purpose of the new Centre.