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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, (NAPTIP), said on Friday, that its operatives have successfully nabbed the most wanted human trafficker, Charity Omoruyi, also known as ‘Jeff Joy’, and also extradited her to Italy.
NAPTIP, in a statement, explained that the success of the operation was made possible through the support of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Federal Ministry of Justice (FMOJ), and the Italian authorities.
The statement which was signed by Vincent Adekoye, recalled that in a judgement delivered by the Court of Assizes of Appeal of Ancoma in June 2012, convicted Omoruyi in absentia for the crimes of human trafficking, exploitation for prostitution, slavery, and abetting of unlawful migration, and was sentenced to 13-years imprisonment.
As a result, Omoruyi was sentenced to 13 years of jail term by the court of Ancona in Italy. Omoruyi, a 54-year-old Nigerian from Ego LGA in Edo State, fled to Nigeria when a warrant for her arrest was issued and she was put on InterPol red notice.
Following the receipt of a formal request for extradition of Omoruyi in May 2022, by the Italian authorities; in June 2022 with the assistance of the DSS, Omoruyi was tracked and arrested in Benin, Edo State, and was handed over to NAPTIP’s Benin Zonal Command and transferred to NAPTIP’s headquarters, Abuja.
Omoruyi was under NAPTIP’s custody until her arraignment before Hon. Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court 2, Maitama, Abuja, where a remand order was issued for her transfer to the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Suleja, pending the finalization of the extradition process by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Omoruyi’s extradition to Italy on 8th March, 2023, was facilitated by Article 12 of the extradition treaty between the Government of the Italian Republic and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, signed in Rome in November, 2016.
Adekoye said the collaboration reinforces Nigeria’s zero tolerance for the crime of human trafficking, adding that human traffickers are ruthless and good at hiding but NAPTIP will continue to root them out no matter how long it takes.
Meanwhile, the Director General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri -Azi, expressed satisfaction with the process that led to the arrest and eventual extradition of the trafficker, adding that the Agency shall continue to partner with all concerned in the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria and other parts of the World.
She thanked the Director General of the DSS, other partner law enforcement agencies and the Attorney General of the Federation for their worthy collaboration with NAPTIP in the operation.
She reiterated that the Agency shall continue to work assiduously towards the realization of its mandates of ensuring adequate protection of Nigerians from human trafficking and violence against persons.
