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Human trafficking: NAPTIP restates position on engagement of witch doctors

Human trafficking: NAPTIP restates position on engagement of witch doctors
NAN-HG-3
Witch-doctors
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Feb. 7, 2018 (NAN) The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has restated its engagement of witch doctors to improve prosecution cases of human trafficking in the country.

The NAPTIP Head, Press and Public Relations, Mr Josiah Emerole, said in a statement in Abuja that the agency is engaging “native doctors” as ambassadors in the fight against human trafficking.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Director-General of NAPTIP, Ms Julie Okah-Donli, at a symposium in Abuja announced that the agency had engaged some local witch doctors in Benin, Edo, as ambassadors to fight human trafficking in the country.

“What the Director-General said on Monday was that as part of the agency’s efforts to improve prosecution of trafficking cases in Nigeria, the agency is engaging with all strata of society to understand their roles in the fight against human trafficking.

“Bearing in mind that the use of Voodoo and administration of oaths on victims is one of the control mechanisms used by human traffickers on their victims, which makes it difficult for victims to open up and assist the Agency in investigation,” he said.

The spokesperson explained that NAPTIP took its sensitisation campaign to the Ayelala Shrines in Edo, where these oaths of secrecy were administered on the victims.

He said the priests in those shrines were made to understand the implication of the oaths they administer on the victims and most of them have pledged not to work with the human traffickers any longer and have gone as far as assisting the victims renounce the oaths.

According to him, the issue of oath taking has been a fundamental challenge faced by NAPTIP over the years, especially as regards victims’ testimony, as the victims believe the oaths would kill or harm them if they cooperate with the agency in the course of our investigations.

“The Agency therefore saw the need to tackle the problem which was aimed at encouraging the victims to give their testimonies, without which NAPTIP cannot successfully prosecute the traffickers

“The agency had in the past arrested and prosecuted some of these priests for their roles in human trafficking, and therefore could not have employed them in fighting human trafficking.

“However, we realised that sensitising them will be of more benefit in the fight against human trafficking and in line with NAPTIP’s prevention strategy,” he added. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Human trafficking: NAPTIP engages Edo witch doctors

Human trafficking: NAPTIP engages Edo witch doctors
NAN-HG-1
Engagement
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Feb. 5, 2018 (NAN) The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it has engaged some local witch doctors in Benin, Edo, as ambassadors to fight human trafficking in the country.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Ms Julie Okah-Donli, disclosed this at a symposium and training organised for officers of the agency in conjunction with Conference of Western Attorneys General and the Africa Alliance in Abuja on Monday.
Edo state has the highest number of traffickers and victims of human trafficking in the country, she noted.
Okah-Donli explained that the agency’s investigation had confirmed that some local witch doctors were involved or used in the trafficking of persons to Europe.
She said that in the process of human trafficking, once a victim’s consent was gotten by means of force, fraud or coercion, such person will be taken to a shrine to swear to an oath of secrecy and allegiance before a local witch doctor.
According to her, during that process some rituals will be performed on the victims where the potential victim’s urine will be taken.
The director-general disclosed that the victim’s pubic hair, finger nails, strands of eye lashes, menstrual blood, underwear and other personal effects deemed necessary were also collected.
She added that such ritual was performed with a symbolic animal or bird, mostly a white cock or a white pigeon complemented with cola nuts.
She said that once all of these were done, it would be seen as bond between the victims and traffickers.
Okah-Donli explained that the ritual was also depicted as having some sort of lucky charm for the victims, if she abides by the terms, otherwise the victims stand to face grave consequences.
“In spite of the rituals and oath taking, the victim reaches the destination point only to realise the farce behind the earlier sweet promises of a greener pasture.
“And in this circumstance, such person is told in strict terms not to renege on the oath of secrecy as it cannot be reversed.
“At this point, the victim is left with a resigned fate of horrible demands of the trafficker for fear of being victimised which she already is rather unfortunately.
“When we gathered these witch doctors recently to sensitise them on what these victims go through in Europe, they were shocked.
“To them, the native doctors, they are working for the madams who want to traffic the victims
“And they have made their commitments to work with us to fight the menace of human trafficking,” she said.
The director-general pledged to involve or sensitise more witch doctors in Benin and other parts of the country, and make them ambassadors of NAPTIP to fight human trafficking.
She said that the agency was more committed and determined than ever to defeat the scourge of trafficking in persons. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola