NAPTIP Axes Dep Director, Four Others Over Corruption, Other Offences

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons, NAPTIP, on Wednesday said it sacked a deputy director and four other officers for various offences.

Spokesperson of the agency, Vincent Adekoye, made the disclosure in a statement to newsmen on Wednesday.

According to him, the officers were dismissed over offences ranging from corruption to demanding and receiving bribes from suspects and their relatives.

Adekoye also revealed in the statement that the affected officers, whose names were not given, were equally found culpable of stealing and alterating of official records, Absent Without Official Leave, leaking confidential information that endanger the lives of their colleagues to suspects, thereby violating the agency’s oath of secrecy. He noted that two were demoted by two ranks. 

“These offences are all contrary to provisions of the Public Service Rules and other extant laws and regulations.

“Two other officers were demoted by two ranks for soliciting for bribe from a suspect of human trafficking, while one officer was demoted by one rank for the negligence of duty.

“The disciplinary actions followed the approval of the Governing Board of the agency at its meeting on May 25, 2023.

“At that meeting, the board considered and ratified the decision of the agency’s Senior Staff Committee which earlier sat on the disciplinary matters in accordance with the Public Service Rules and other extant laws and regulations.”

According to Adekoye, a Federal High Court, sitting in Sokoto, has convicted a law enforcement officer and sentenced him to prison, adding that the officer has been convicted on a two-count charge of trafficking contrary to Section 26 (2) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act (2015) and was sentenced to five years on each count.

“This is NAPTIP’s 37th conviction and counting for the year 2023,” he added.