Residents of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, witnessed a significant milestone in the fight against human trafficking and violence against persons as the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and a delegation from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, inaugurated the School Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Violence Against Persons Vanguard at Government Model Secondary School, Makurdi.
The inauguration formed part of activities under the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), a Netherlands-funded initiative implemented by NAPTIP in partnership with ICMPD to strengthen prevention, education, and community-based responses to trafficking and violence.
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As part of the visit, the delegation also toured an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp currently sheltering survivors of the Yelwata massacre. The team commissioned a toilet facility constructed under the STEAP project and observed capacity-building workshops for NAPTIP investigators, prosecutors, and other law enforcement agencies.
The training, held at Eyah’s Hotel and Suites, Makurdi, focused on enhancing enforcement and prosecution related to trafficking in persons (TIP) and violence against persons (VAP).
Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, OON, described the multi-faceted visit as a major milestone in strengthening grassroots resistance against trafficking and abuse.
She expressed appreciation to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for its sustained support to the STEAP project and related school improvement initiatives.
“Trafficking and violence are local problems that require local solutions,” Bello said. “By equipping schools with knowledge, skills, and linkages to support services, we interrupt harmful pathways and build protective environments for our children.”
Leading the Netherlands delegation, Victor Cramer, Deputy Director-General at the Ministry of Asylum and Migration, commended the efforts of NAPTIP and ICMPD in supporting vulnerable communities and schools in Benue State.
He emphasized that human trafficking remains a serious crime that demands coordinated action among governments, institutions, and communities, stressing the need for targeted interventions that reduce vulnerability and prioritize victim protection and support.
Also speaking at the event, Benue State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yangien Ornguga, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with national and international partners to combat human trafficking and violence.
A highlight of the programme was a mock trial exercise conducted by investigators and prosecutors, demonstrating enforcement readiness and reinforcing NAPTIP’s resolve to tackle trafficking and related crimes across Nigeria.
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The initiative marks another step in building community resilience, strengthening institutional capacity, and protecting vulnerable populations from trafficking and violence in Benue State.