NIGERIA, SPAIN PARTNER, TIGHTEN NOOSE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKERS

BY PROSPER OKOYE

Human traffickers and migrant smugglers are expected to face tougher, more coordinated enforcement following the conclusion of a four-day workshop aimed at strengthening transnational investigations into Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM), organised by the Foundation for the Internationalization of Public Administrations (FIAP).

Javier Leon, Deputy Team Leader at FIAP and Chief Inspector of the Spanish National Police, said participants were leaving the intensive training better equipped with modern investigative techniques and operational strategies to tackle increasingly sophisticated trafficking and migrant smuggling networks while maintaining a victim-centred approach.

He cautioned participants against allowing their newly acquired skills to translate into overzealous investigations, stressing that victims must remain at the heart of every operation and should never be exposed to further harm or re-victimisation in the pursuit of justice.

Leon described the workshop as a two-way learning experience, noting that the Spanish experts also gained valuable insights from the practical experiences shared by Nigerian investigators.

According to him, the exchange of knowledge strengthened mutual trust between both countries and created fresh opportunities to refine investigative tactics and deepen operational collaboration against transnational organised crime.

FIAP Project Officer, Cayetana Bellisco, said one of the key outcomes of the workshop was the growing need to establish a joint Nigeria-Spain investigative unit to combat organised crime, particularly the trafficking of women and children.

She said such collaboration would strengthen intelligence sharing, joint investigations and cross-border enforcement against transnational criminal networks.

“From FIAP, our commitment is firm in this regard,” Bellisco assured.

Also speaking, FIAP Technical Adviser on Criminal Investigations, Sani Dantuni, described the training as a major boost for frontline anti-trafficking agencies.

He said participants acquired practical skills in mutual legal assistance, financial crime investigations, open-source intelligence and strategies for dismantling organised criminal networks.

According to Dantuni, the participants—drawn from agencies leading Nigeria’s anti-trafficking efforts—are now better equipped to investigate complex cross-border crimes and strengthen cooperation not only with Spain but with other European countries.

The workshop, organised under Component 3 of the European Union-funded Support to Migration Governance in Nigeria Project, brought together operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Police Force.

For many participants, the impact of the training was immediate.

CSP Joy Abuma, a police officer seconded to NAPTIP, said the workshop fundamentally changed her approach to investigating trafficking cases.

“I just joined NAPTIP, and this training has opened my eyes to many investigative skills,” she said.

She recalled handling a trafficking case in which she recorded a victim’s identity, unaware that doing so could expose the victim to additional risks.

“I recently handled a case where I wrote down the victim’s name,” Abuma said. “Through this workshop, I have learned that a victim’s identity should be protected. This knowledge will help us better protect victims, build their trust and ultimately strengthen future prosecutions.”

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