Participants at the event included members of The Gambia Police Force, Customs and Excise, Gambia Immigration Department, Drug Law Enforcement Agency -The Gambia, State Intelligence Services, among a host of others. NAATIP intends to train a total of 120 law enforcement officers across the six administrative regions of the country in the coming months.
Welcoming the participants, Tijan Faal, an investigator at NAATIP, underscored the importance of the training in this day and age.
He reminded participants that combatting human trafficking requires all hands on deck, thus the more reason why they thought it wise to train law enforcement officers on this important matter.
Faal described human trafficking as a serious threat that is really affecting ‘our brothers and sisters’, thus the need for take a proactive stance to combat it.
“People are being trafficked outside The Gambia, and also trafficked into the country, likewise trafficked within the country.”
The Gambia, he added, is classified as a source, destination and transit point and the human being is the commodity in human trafficking.
“Victims of human trafficking are subjected to all forms of abuse both physically and sexually. They abuse you, torture you, which takes one to the lowest degrading standards.”
Faal thus described the menace as a modern-day slavery and a violation of one’s fundamental human rights, noting that it is such a serious issue that is second to only drug trafficking currently.
Isatou Dabo, executive director of National Agency Against Trafficking- In Persons, took participants to mandates of NAATIP and some of the works it conducts as it relates to trafficking in persons.
She underscored the importance of the training targeting law enforcement officers on National Referrals Mechanism in view of the fact that not all cases of trafficking in persons comes directly to the agency.
“Sometimes you may come across these cases at the entry points such as borders or exit points, at the Police Stations after night patrols have been conducted or special operations or it could be either way.”
To that end, Dabo explained that the issue of trafficking becomes one that requires collective responsibility and concerted efforts of all stakeholders, saying the government has an obligation to protect the well-being of its citizens.
Dabo revealed that in trafficking there are so many allegations directed at the security supporting perpetrators with either documents or compromising in a case from being investigated.
“This is an opportunity and time for us to say the narrative is different from what happens in reality. We know we have an obligation and we will do the best possible to support the national agency implement our mandate in our different law enforcement structures and protect victims of trafficking either Gambians or non-Gambian alike.”
