NAPTIP: Agents Using Football to Traffic Nigerian Youths Illegally to Morocco, Tunisia

Olawale Ajimotokan  in Abuja

The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dr Fatima Waziri-Azi, has accused sports agents of luring hundreds of young Nigerian boys and girls to some North African countries, especially Morocco and Tunisia unde the guise of playing football.

She made the revelation over the weekend at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja during the aerobics  and sporting activities organised by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation  as part of activities to mark the 2023 Civil Service Week

Waziri-Azi said that upon getting to the promised destination majority of the youths were subsequently dehumanised and subjected to prostitution, exploitative labour and organ harvesting.

She voiced concern about the spike in the numbers of young Nigerians, falling prey to deceit of a criminal gang of a promise of greener pasture abroad under the guise of non-existing sporting opportunities.

She advised parents and individuals to always confirm from the agency on whether the sporting agent approaching them for a football opportunity abroad has a clearance from NAPTIP, insisting that NAPTIP is the only agency that has the mandate to issue such clearance to intended travellers abroad.

 “Just this year, alone we have received a lot of complaints of Nigerians trapped in North Africa, especially in countries like Morocco and Tunisia who are unable to come back home.

“NAPTIP has a regulation called “Trafficking in Person Control of Activities and Centres Regulation 2019, If any sporting agent approaches you to say they have an opportunity for your child to either play football or participate in athletics abroad, the first question you should ask them is, have you gotten your clearance certificate from NAPTIP?

“Because that regulation 2019 gives NAPTIP the powers to control and issue clearance certificate to travel agents, tour operators, sporting agents and all Nigerians leaving the country for the purpose of labour recruitment or sporting activities or educational activities,” she said.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, also tasked civil servants in the country to promote their wellbeing by exercising regularly, her office has provided a wellness centre, to ensure that every worker keeps their bodies and minds healthy.