On Monday,14th July 2003, exactly 22 years today, the then President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, (GCFR), graciously signed into law, a Bill to establish the “National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons” (NAPTIP) to criminalize and enforce the Law against Trafficking In Persons.
The striking semblance in the day and the month – Monday 14th July 2003 and 2025 could not have been a mere coincidence but a perfect harmony of events which calls for remembrance and celebrations.
Out of our desire to have a specific law on Human Trafficking, the Founder and Chairperson of WOTCLEF, Her Excellency Chief Dr (Mrs) Amina Titi Atiku Abubakar, (Wife of the former Vice President) inaugurated the Anti Trafficking Bill Drafting Committee on the 27th June, 2000 under the Chairmanship of Hon. Justice Mary Odili (JSC Rtd) with membership drawn from the citadel of learning, diplomatic world, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs, Nigeria Immigration Service, and the National Youth Service Corps, with the Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigeria Labour Congress and independent Non Governmental organizations duly represented.
To the Glory of God, over two decades after the Presidential Legislative Enactment into Law in compliance with the Parlemo Convention of December, 2000, that mustard seed that WOTCLEF planted on the fertile field of human liberation, human dignity and human worth, has impressively grown into a plant.
The plant developed into a tree where other nations are taking shed and learning from known as NAPTIP.
Thousands and thousands of Nigerians, most especially, our women and children, are now, like the proverbial birds, perching into its branches to eat of its fruits and to drink of its juices.
Today, we give Glory to the Almighty God for the enablement to make history by WOTCLEF with this landmark accomplishment which is the pioneering effort in Africa.
We equally celebrate all the key players and critical stakeholders, too numerous to mention, for this rare feat.
Special mention must be made of the Senator Anyim Pius Anyim – led National Assembly for standing on the threshold of time and painstakingly passed the anti trafficking bill into law in 2003.
Also, we acknowledge NAPTIP for holding the banner high and for keeping the flag flying always.
As we remember this day – Monday, 14th July 2025 which shares the same calendar year with 2003 when the bill was signed into law, WOTCLEF says TO GOD BE THE GLORY INDEED
End Human Trafficking
End exploitation
End Modern Slavery
