The U.S. said on Thursday in Abuja that Nigeria had increased its efforts at protecting victims of trafficking in 2013.
This is contained the 2013 report issued by the U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking In Persons (TIP) and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
It, however said that Nigeria still remained in `Tier 2′ status.
The report said that the slight increase in efforts, followed increase in funding to the National Agency for the Prohibition of
Trafficking In Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) by Government.
“In the 2013 TIP Report, Nigeria remained in Tier 2 status because Government of Nigeria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.
“But it is making efforts to do so,’’ it said.
It said that NAPTIP made improvements in anti-trafficking over the last reporting period, mostly increase in anti-trafficking law enforcement.
The report also said that during the period, the agency provided specialised anti-trafficking training for its officials.
It said that other efforts included public enlightenment to raise awareness and warning about fraudulent recruitment for jobs abroad.
“It is important to note, however, that the TIP Report does not simply measure the efforts of NAPTIP as an agency but rather, the Government of Nigeria as a whole.
“The Government has not yet satisfied all the minimum standards set forth in the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as amended (TVPA) to justify an upgrade to Tier 1,’’ it said.
The report urged government to adequately fund NAPTIP to be able to take proactive measures to investigate and prosecute persons involved in trafficking offences.
It called for the training of police and immigration officers to identify trafficking victims.
Nigeria signed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) known as “Paermo Protocol’’ in 2000.
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