Politics
NAPTIP partners with Witch Doctors To Curb Human Trafficking
The Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Julie Okah-Donli, on Friday reiterated the agency’s resolve to partner with witch doctors (also known as Juju Priests) in the fight against human trafficking.
Responding to questions during a meeting with Social Media Influencers in Lagos, Mrs. Okah-Donli said the witch doctors had been unaware of the effects of their practice and had revoked all the curses they laid on the trafficked girls.
“The juju priests have a job to do, they are doing their jobs they are making their money,” Mrs. Okah-Donli said while reacting to a question by PREMIUM TIMES.
“NAPTIP has been able to sensitise them, we’ve had meetings with all of the juju priests, they said they did not even know, they are now ambassadors for NAPTIP because now they report cases to us.”
During a symposium for NAPTIP officials in Abuja on Monday, Mrs. Okah-Donli reportedly said the agency had engaged the services of witch doctors in Benin, Edo State, to curb trafficking in persons.
“When we gathered these witch doctors recently to sensitise them on what human trafficking victims go through in Europe they were shocked,” the Punch newspaper quoted the NAPTIP boss as saying.
“And they have made their commitments to work with us to fight the menace of human trafficking.”
However, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, NAPTIP said the agency had not hired or employed witch doctors in the fight against human trafficking.
“What the Director-General said was that as part of the agency’s efforts to improve prosecution of trafficking cases in Nigeria, the agency is engaging all strata of society to understand their roles in the fight against human trafficking,” read the statement issued by Josiah Emerole, Head, Press and Public Relations, NAPTIP.
“The priests in those shrines were made to understand the implication of the oaths they administer on the victims and most of them have pledged not to work with the human traffickers any longer and have gone as far as assisting the victims renounce the oaths.”
On Friday, the Devatop Centre for Africa Development, a nonprofit organisation with focus on combating human trafficking, called for the prosecution of native doctors involved in human trafficking.
But Mrs. Okah-Donli said the juju priests told the agency that they had no idea what was going on with girls brought to them for oath-taking.
“All they knew was that the women will bring them that they want to give these girls jobs and they need to swear an oath so they don’t run with our money, so that was the impression that they were given.
“In fact, when we told them they were shocked and then they revoked the curses on all of these girls and said going forward if any madam comes to them they will report to NAPTIP and they will not administer oath on the girl.
“So right now, they are ambassadors for NAPTIP and they are cooperating with us so we cannot arrest them, we need information from them.”
The NAPTIP boss disagreed with claims that poverty and unemployment were the major causes of human trafficking in Nigeria.
“Most of these people who are trafficked don’t go for free. They pay as much as N500,000 to N1 million to be trafficked, so I think it’s more of stupidity and ignorance on their part,” she said.
“How poor can you be if you can afford N500,000 to N1 million? Give N500,000 and I will show you what I can do with it here in Nigeria, I don’t need to be a slave in anybody’s country. So it’s not an excuse.
On NAPTIP’s fight to combat child marriages, Mrs. Okah-Donli said the agency had already begun the prosecution of some of the offenders.
“On child marriages, we’ve been able to rescue about two girls,” she said.
“NAPTIP is no respecter of persons when it comes to doing our job, I can assure you, I can tell you that much. We’ve been able to rescue two girls, young girls who were forcefully married because as far as I’m concerned, a young girl cannot give her consent to marry anybody.
“Once we get the report, we rescue, we’ve rescued two girls like that and we’ve prosecuted the offenders. So if you know of anybody that has taken a little child and claimed that they are marrying that child, please just report to NAPTIP and see what will happen.”
*Renewed Hope Ambassadors Step Into the Next Phase
Fresh from the successful APC 2026 National Convention, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors National, Zonal, and State leadership gathered in Abuja over the weekend, for its fourth strategic meeting, setting the tone for nationwide grassroots activation ahead of 2027.
Chaired by Governor Hope Uzodinma (Imo State) the Director General and National Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, alongside Deputy Director-General, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, and Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as Secretary, the session reinforced one clear direction: One Party. One Message. One Mobilization whilst also laying out a strategic roadmap for the activation of the network across all communities in Nigeria.
Backed by the strength of 31 APC-led states, the Renewed Hope Agenda is taking Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of progress and reform to every corner of Nigeria.
From bold economic restructuring to initiatives like NELFUND, the increase in the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, and strategic investments in critical sectors, including PNiCGI, the mission remains clear: helping Nigerians understand both the purpose and the progress of the Renewed Hope vision.
This is coordination at scale. This is grassroots engagement with purpose. This is the next phase of Renewed Hope with One Party, One Message, and One Mobilisation framework
#RenewedHopeAmbassadors #APC #WeAreAPC
Governor Bago Inaugurates APC Digital Media Sub-Committee Ahead of National Convention.
Governor Umaru Bago has inaugurated the Digital Media Sub-Committee for the forthcoming National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scheduled to hold on March 27 and 28, 2026 in Abuja.
Chairing the sub-committee, Governor Bago tasked members with the responsibility of effectively communicating the party’s manifesto to the public.
He emphasized the need to leverage social media platforms to highlight the achievements and ongoing efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that communication gaps have posed challenges that must now be decisively addressed.
The Co-Chair of the sub-committee, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, echoed the Governor’s position, urging members to project the activities of both the party and the government to a broader audience.
He called for a deliberate and coordinated effort to showcase the party’s achievements and policy direction, stressing the importance of shaping a compelling and consistent narrative across all digital platforms.
Delivering a presentation to the committee, Otega Ogra, SSA to the President on New Media, who serves as Secretary of the sub-committee, outlined strategic focus areas to guide the team’s operations.
His presentation highlighted communication priorities and actionable steps to achieve the committee’s mandate and strengthen the party’s digital engagement.
VP Shettima Set to Lead Delegation to Zamfara as Governor Dauda Lawal Formally Joins APC
The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has finalized plans to receive Vice President Kashim Shettima for the formal defection and reception of Governor Dauda Lawal into the ruling party, scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
State APC Chairman, Tukur Danfulani Maikatako, disclosed this during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held in Gusau, the state capital. He noted that the Vice President would be joined by the party’s national leadership to mark what he described as a landmark political realignment in the state.
Maikatako expressed the party’s excitement over Governor Lawal’s return, recalling that Zamfara had historically been an APC stronghold and that the Governor was previously a bona fide member of the party before his earlier exit.
“We all know that Zamfara has long been one of the APC’s stronghold states, where the defected Governor was once a bona fide member. Now that he has decided to return home, having been satisfied that the APC remains his second choice after the one he left for obvious reasons,” Maikatako stated.
The Chairman called on all party faithful across the 147 wards in the state’s 14 local government areas to turn out en masse to honour the Vice President’s visit. He emphasized that the event was strategically positioned to bolster the party’s popularity and strengthen its structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a strong appeal for unity, Maikatako urged members to set aside all factional tendencies, stressing that the APC remained one political family with shared goals, particularly the ambition to make Zamfara and Nigeria great again.
Echoing similar sentiments, a former state APC Chairman, Lawal M. Liman, appealed to members to cascade the message to their wards and local government areas. He reinforced the need for cohesion, noting that the party’s collective strength would be critical to achieving success in future elections.
All eyes are now on Gusau as the ruling party prepares for a high-profile political gathering expected to further consolidate its influence in Zamfara State.
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