Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The European Union (EU) has reiterated its dedication to combating human trafficking and migrants smuggling in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the EU’s programme officer overseeing Migration, Organised Crime and Drugs, Ron Hendrix, in a recent conference on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (TIPSOM) held in Abuja on Wednesday.
The conference, organised by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP)- the driving force behind Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (TIPSOM) in Nigeria – aimed to address the pressing issues of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
According to Hendrix, the EU is commitment to providing support through a dedicated programme, collaboratively executed with the UN Office on Drug and Crimes (UNODC) and FIIAPP. This initiative is slated to launch in the early part of 2024, with a primary focus on curbing trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.
Calling for increased efforts from the federal government, Hendrix emphasised the need to strengthen preventive measures and enhance responses to counter migrant smuggling. Furthermore, he urged the exploration of alternatives to irregular migration.
Citing the principles of policy, prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership, Hendrix encouraged members and stakeholders involved in the fight against trafficking to be consistent in their fight. Notably, he disclosed that the European Commission is proposing a regulation to bolster Europols’ role and interagency cooperation in combating migrant smuggling and trafficking of human beings.
To achieve this, the European Commission plans to enhance coordination at the EU level, strengthen inter-agency cooperation, improve information sharing, allocate additional resources and reinforce Europol support through staff deployment, he explained.
