540 NIGERIANS TO BE DEPORTED FROM LIBYA

Five hundred and forty Nigerians are set for deportation from Libya, beginning from Aug. 10, Mrs. Julie Okah-Donli, Director-General, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP), has said.

Okah-Donli disclosed this on Wednesday in Osogbo, at the inauguration of the North-West Zonal Command Office of the agency.

She said that the deportees would be brought back to Nigeria in three batches of 180 each.

The NAPTIP boss said that more than 2000 Nigerians were deported from various part of the world from February till date, over various migration offences, including human trafficking.

Okah-Doni disclosed that the agency had rescued and supported more than 12,000 victims of human trafficking, and also secured 325 convictions since its inception in 2003.

She decried the rising trend of deportation of Nigerians from different parts of the world, especially in Africa, and described the situation as “frightening”.

“Such massive deportations are not good for us as a people. Government at all levels must take steps to halt it by initiating measures that will reduce the vulnerability of our people to being trafficked.

“We must also strive to enlighten our people to resist the temptation to leave the country at all cost,” she said.

Okah-Donli, who described human trafficking as a modern day slavery, urged stern measures to end it.

She reaffirmed NAPTIP’s commitment to implementing the Trafficking in Persons(Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act of 2015, and declared that there would be no sacred cows.

Okah-Donli identified Osun, Ekiti and Ondo among the endemic states in trafficking in persons in Nigeria, saying that all hands must be on deck to change the trend.

“Nigeria is a source, transit and destination country. Women and young girls are recruited for sexual and labour exploitation in parts of Europe, the Middle East and even within the African continent.
“This calls for concerted action by all as Nigerians cannot make meaningful progress in its human capital development index, with a sustained depletion of her young and brightest stars.”

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Mr Tope Adejumo, promised that the state government would collaborate with the agency to minimise human trafficking.

In his remarks, a former governor of the state, Mr Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who is also the royal ambassador of the agency, said that he was ready to support the agency in its war against human trafficking.

Oyinlola urged the agency to take the campaign against human trafficking to the grassroots, using the native language as a means of communication.

NAPTIP pursues human traffickers to London

NAPTIP now operates at Heathrow airport in London

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), says it has received approval for its operatives to work at the Heathrow and Gatwick Airports in London.

Mr Josiah Emerole, the NAPTIP Head, Press and Public Relations, said in a press statement on Sunday in Abuja that the approval was given during high level meetings with officials of the Home Office in London.

According to him, the new partnership will allow the agency to conduct joint operation with security agencies in the United Kingdom at the airports.

He said that the collaboration would facilitate random profiling of passengers with a view to identifying potential victims of trafficking and suspected traffickers.

“The milestone will improve mutual sharing of experience, intelligence and expertise between Nigeria and UK.

“This is based on the fact that Nigerian potential victims could be better identified by Nigerians after a thorough assessment of indicators of trafficking.

“At various meetings held at the Home Office, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli engaged with the Senior Officials of the Home Office led by the Manager, Dave Pennant, Investigation and Prosecution team, officials of the UK National Crime Agency (NCA).

“She also met officials of the Modern Slavery Unit, Immigration, and the UK Border Force.’’

“Issues addressed at the meetings include illegal migration, victims care and prosecution of trafficked suspects.

“Under the approval, operatives of NAPTIP would work side by side with the UK Border Force and other relevant agencies at the two gateways into the United Kingdom.

“This measure was part of the director general’s partnership drive and in furtherance of her vision towards making NAPTIP a big player in counter-trafficking initiatives across the globe.

“Okah-Donli had been engaging various partners within and outside Nigeria, seeking ways to further improve the operations of the agency and the early rescue of Nigerian potential victims of trafficking in persons.”

NAPTIP new D-G tasks staff on agency’s mandate.

Ms Julie Okah-Donli, the newly appointed Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has charged staff of the agency not to compromise its mandate.

She gave the task on Tuesday on assumption of duty at the headquarters of the agency in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okah- Donli was among the 23 newly appointed heads of federal agencies and parastatals announced on Thursday by President Muhammadu Buhari.

A statement signed by  the Head of Press and Public Relations, Mr Josiah Emerole in Abuja said  that the new chief executive warned staff members  to resist any temptation to compromise in the course of discharging the mandate of the agency.

He quoted Okah-Donli as saying the mandate of the organisation was a sensitive one and of international concern to halt the history of man’s inhumanity to man.

She charged the members of staff to work as one big family and foster the spirit of oneness in tackling challenges of the job.

“We must resist any temptation to compromise our duties. I will never tolerate any form of indiscipline under my watch that will expose this organisation to public ridicule.

“My appointment is a call to national service; coming at a time the change mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari is making a quiet revolution in the transformation of the country.

“Let me therefore state unequivocally that we cannot afford to be left behind in writing the history of achievements of this administration.

“Our task here is basically to stop the crime against humanity and we have to discharge our duties with absolute fear of God and we must resist any temptation to compromise our duties.

“Also I will never tolerate any form of indiscipline under my watch,” the director-general warned.

She expressed appreciation to the President for the appointment and described it as “a call to national service”.

Okah-Donli was born on Dec. 30, 1966.

She obtained her Bachelor of Law Degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and won the best prize for the annual Dean’s moot court competition in 1990.

She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992. She has interest in diverse areas of practice but not limited to Arbitration, Company and Corporate Law.

She has worked with reputable firms such as Anthony Igbene & Co. S. O Ajayi as an Associate from 1996 to 2002, and on to the Securities and Exchange Commission from July 1, 2002, to Oct. 2, 2005, as a Manager in the Secretariat and Legal Administrative Department.

Okah-Donli was appointed Legal Adviser/Company Secretary of the Nigerian Capital Market Institute, an affiliate of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Abuja, from June 2005 to Oct. 2, 2005.

In October 2005, she resigned and went into private practice, Legal Field and Co.

She later moved on to UBA Trustees, Abuja, where she headed the Abuja branch and Northern Region from Oct. 3, 2006, till Aug. 1, 2007.

In August 2007, she was appointed as the Executive Assistant to the Bayelsa State Governor, Government House, Yenagoa, until September 2012.

She later worked as Deputy Head of Chambers with Legal Resources Alliance from November 2012 to May 2013, when she left to set up her practice.

She is the Principal Partner of Julie Okah & Co, a firm of Legal Practitioners, where she practice and is also the founder of The Julie Donli Kidney Foundation.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING:Court sentence couple to 14 years imprisonment for Human Trafficking.

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo state on Monday 26th September, 2016; sentenced a couple to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for procurement and facilitating the trafficking and forcing one Bidemi Adesina into prostitution in Libya.

Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek convicted Mr Idowu Folorunso, 37, and his wife Mrs Titilayo, 35, and sentenced them to seven years each.

 Abdulmaleek said that the prosecution provided overwhelming oral, documentary and other substantial evidence against the couple.

"Therefore, Idowu and Titilayo are sentenced to seven years imprisonment each for count one, and seven years imprisonment for count two, without any option of fine and with hard labour. The sentences are, however, to run concurrently," the judge said.

Testifying in court earlier, the victim said the Folorunsos lured her into prostitution in Libya where she became infected with HIV/AIDS. Adeshina said that the couple told her that three other girls would be joining her for the teaching job in Libya. She revealed that she travelled from Ibadan through Kano, to Niger to Libya and found herself in a brothel.

The witness said that within eight months, the Folorunsos made her abort four pregnancies. She also said that the couple did not give her anything from the proceeds of her prostitution.

According to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP), the couple committed the crime on May 20, 2014, at Odo-Oba Elere, Ibadan.