In a significant step towards inclusivity in the fight against human trafficking, the Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Adamu Bello, today met with representatives from the Deaf Community to discuss their role in counter-trafficking efforts.
The group, led by Mr. Nelson Chukwuemeka Umezurike, National Vice Chairman of the Nigeria National Association of the Deaf, along with other leaders such as Fassasi Monsurat, National Women Leader; Mr. Ayoade Beyioku-Ajose, Chairman of the Abuja Association of the Deaf; and Ashiru Abubakar, National Youth Leader, expressed their concerns about the lack of inclusion of the Disability Community in NAPTIP’s activities. They called for specialized training on human trafficking and its indicators, deaf-friendly interventions for gender-based violence (GBV), and improved accessibility to the agency’s reporting channels.
Responding to the group’s concerns, Director General, Binta Adamu Bello assured the community of their integral role in NAPTIP’s mission.
“I am delighted to have you here today. I will ensure that you are included in all our activities,” she said, signaled the start of a collaborative relationship. She also noted that their requests had been minuted and forwarded to the relevant departments for immediate action.
The meeting, which allowed the Deaf Community to express their concerns through interpreters, mark a promising new chapter in NAPTIP’s efforts to make its services more inclusive and accessible to all Nigerians.
