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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The European Union (EU), France and Italy have strengthened Nigeria’s fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling with the donation of a modern digital interview facility and operational equipment to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The project was funded by the European Union and implemented by CIVIPOL in partnership with NAPTIP, with France and Italy providing strategic support.
The intervention, delivered under the Common Operational Partnership France-Italy-Nigeria (COP Nigeria), was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to investigate trafficking cases, improve prosecution outcomes and dismantle criminal networks operating within and beyond the country’s borders.
The facility, handed over at a ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, features a central observation room and two interview rooms fitted with one-way mirrors, allowing investigators to conduct interviews simultaneously while other officers observe proceedings without disrupting the process.
The rooms are also equipped with modern audio and video recording technology to ensure that interviews are properly documented and preserved as evidence for prosecution in court.
Additional operational equipment and investigative tools were also donated to strengthen NAPTIP’s field operations, communication, intelligence gathering and technical mobility, particularly during complex anti-trafficking operations.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, described the intervention as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s determination to dismantle transnational human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks.
She was optimistic that the facility would promote victim-centred and trauma-informed investigations by providing survivors with a secure, dignified and supportive environment in which to give statements without being subjected to further trauma.
According to her, the observation arrangement would allow investigators and other relevant officers to monitor interviews while protecting the privacy and dignity of victims.
She added that the recording and documentation facilities would ensure that suspect interrogations and victims’ statements met international forensic and legal standards, thereby improving the quality of evidence presented in court.
The NAPTIP chief further disclosed that the agency had secured 78 convictions between January and November 2026, expressing optimism that the new facilities and equipment would further strengthen its prosecution capacity.
She assured the international partners that the agency would ensure effective deployment and maintenance of the donated facilities and equipment, while sustaining intelligence-led operations and joint exercises with international partners to ensure that human traffickers and migrant smugglers had no safe haven.
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The European Commissioner for Migration and Internal Affairs, Mr Magnus Brunner, described the intervention as a practical demonstration of the strong partnership between the EU and Nigeria.
He said combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling required collective action, noting that the facility represented tangible results rather than mere discussions and promises.
Brunner also underscored the importance of Nigeria’s participation in the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling, stressing the need for international cooperation to confront organised criminal networks.
He commended the ambassadors and other partners for their contributions, describing the occasion as another concrete achievement in the relationship between the European Union and Nigeria.
The Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Roberto Mengoni, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to sustaining cooperation with Nigeria, particularly with NAPTIP, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Police Force.
He said Italy had worked with Nigerian security and migration institutions for several years and was prepared to strengthen the relationship, particularly in addressing irregular migration, protecting victims and combating human trafficking.
Mengoni described the Team Europe approach, involving the EU and its member states, as an important framework for achieving greater impact through coordinated international action.
Similarly, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, pledged his country’s long-term support for Nigeria’s anti-trafficking campaign.
He said the intervention went beyond the provision of buildings, physical structures and processes, emphasising that the ultimate concern was the protection of humanity and human dignity.
According to him, the fight against human trafficking requires sustained commitment and strong foundations, assuring that France would continue to stand alongside Nigeria in the struggle.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, and representatives of CIVIPOL, FIAP and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) also attended the ceremony.
