By YANGE IKYAA

The director-general of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed, has promised to build on the existing operational platform, collaboration, and policies to ensure national and international visibility for the agency in order to effectively curtail the incidence of human trafficking and irregular migration not only in Nigeria but within the Sub-Sahara Africa.

According to a statement issued by Stella Nezan, who is the head of press and public relations unit at NAPTIP, Senator Mohammed stated this in Abuja while addressing a cross-section of officers and men of the agency shortly after his formal assumption of office.

It would be recalled that President Muhammed Buhari had approved the swapping of two heads of agencies under the ministry of humanitarian, disaster management, and social development thereby leading to the movement of Mrs. Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim who was the director-general of NAPTIP to the National Commission of Refugees, Migrant and Internally Displaced Persons, while Senator Basheer Garba Muhammed moved to NAPTIP as director-general.

Mohammed, who was received with a guard of honour mounted by the provost unit of the agency and jubilant officers of the agency, expressed delight at the warm reception accorded him and promised to work hard to ensure the realization of mandates of the agency. He also urged the officers to embrace discipline and shun any act that is inimical to the operations of the agency.

Mr. Arinze Orakwe, who is the director, training and manpower development, briefed the new director-general on the activities of the agency, its national spread, as well as its scope and challenges.

He also outlined the challenges facing the agency to include a dearth of funds and operational tools, adding further that NAPTIP is endowed with an array of well-trained and loyal officers, who continue to invest their hard-earned and other resources in the fight against human trafficking.

In his response, Senator Mohammed, who expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for giving him the opportunity to serve as the director-general of NAPTIP, promised to work effectively with the management of the agency to achieve greater results.

“I am a passionate and hardworking person that is committed to the realization of goals and objectives of any institution wherever I find myself. I am happy to be in your midst and I am ready to work smoothly with all of you.

“However, I must let you know that I like honesty and prudent management of available resources. My goal is to work hard to put NAPTIP in its desired position, both within and outside the country. NAPTIP is a very important institution that is dear to us all and we must all work hard to ensure its overall success,” the NAPTIP boss said.

He was later led on a guarded tour of the offices within the NAPTIP headquarters by the director administration, Mrs. Benedicta Ojugbana.

Senator Basheer Garba Muhammed is now the sixth director-general of NAPTIP since its inception in 2004.