The International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP) has urged people with disabilities (PWD) to beware of human traffickers.
The appeal was made in Abuja during the opening session of a two-day training / capacity building workshop organized by FIIAPP for executive members of the Nigeria National Association of the Deaf (NNAD).
The Nigeria News Agency reports that FIIAPP is a Spanish public foundation working on a project in Nigeria titled ‘Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (A-TIPSOM), a project funded by the European Union (EU).
Mr. Jose-Antonio Andeme, Institutional Coordinator of FIIAPP, said that the essence of the workshop was to inform NNAD on how to identify human traffickers and key trafficking issues.
He said the program also aimed to let them know how to prevent the threat, the policies made and developed by the government and how the government and law enforcement agencies are working against trafficking.
Andeme called on the association to join hands in the fight against the threat, adding that the trap of traffickers is not limited to anyone and everyone is at risk of trafficking in Nigeria.
He said the outcome of the two-day workshop would determine the foundation’s future collaboration and assistance with deaf people.
The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Ms. Fatima Waziri-Azi, noted that traffickers would always take advantage of people’s vulnerability to carry out their evil work.
The Director General who was represented by Mr. Josiah Emerole, Director of Public Information, NAPTIP, called on people with disabilities to be wary of the tactics adopted by traffickers to recover their victims.
“The traffickers will always look for such a vulnerability as that of people with disabilities to exploit, which is why there is a need to disclose the threat of trafficking and let you know how the traffickers are playing their tactics.
“They will always come and promise you a much better deal better than what you are doing now, these are all lies, they can even tell you that you will start to hear when they take you out of your comfort zone.”
“From your interrogation with these traffickers, you will be able to know if what they tell you is true or not, that is why a workshop like this one is organized.
“NAPTIP, as the focal government agency against human trafficking, has done its best to sensitize local communities,” said Waziri-Azi.
Mr. James Lalu, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Disabled (NCPWD), expressed his joy at the workshop, adding that disability is not immunity for committing crimes.
He said that the workshop organizer had taken the right steps and that the NCPWD would continue to take advantage of the provisions of Article 16 of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities.
Lalu said people with disabilities work hard to partner with relevant agencies to ensure they are raised in society.
“We are working with experts from deaf communities to harmonize the different languages present in Nigeria so that we can offer a unique sign language.
“Sign language is our only means of communication, we all need to come together to see how we can fight discrimination against people with disabilities, we are open to a deeper and stronger partnership,” he said. -he declares.
NAN