The Canadian government has donated two four-wheel drive vehicles to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to boost the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria.

The Canadian Ambassador to Nigeria, Jamie Christoff, officially donated the vehicles to the NAPTIP’s director-general, Fatima Waziri-Azi, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The donation came under the auspices of capacity-building programming funded by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It was delivered by ARK Group, a social enterprise empowering local communities through sustainable interventions.

IRCC, a Canadian government department, is responsible for immigration, refugee protection, and citizenship services. It facilitates the arrival of immigrants, protects refugees, and promotes the value of Canadian citizenship.

At the ceremony, Mr Christoff said the gesture marked a significant move to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against human trafficking.

“What I am very happy to do today before you is to present the director-general with delivery notices and instructions for two new vehicles that will help deploy NAPTIP staff in investigating human trafficking,” the envoy said.

He commended the director-general and her team for the successes so far. He explained that the vehicles were rugged to enable NAPTIP personnel to reach areas of concern in trafficking.

Responding, Ms Waziri-Azi thanked the Canadian government for the gesture and promised that the vehicles would be judiciously used.

“This collaboration with NAPTIP started in 2020 during COVID-19.

“We hope to keep enhancing our relationship, and we are glad to receive these two brand-new vehicles, which have made our office environment look bigger,” Ms Waziri-Azi said.

The NAPTIP boss further stressed the need for close working relations between Nigeria and Canada to sustain the global fight against human trafficking.

(NAN)