Human traffickers and migrant smugglers are expected to face stronger and more coordinated enforcement following a four-day workshop designed to enhance transnational investigations into Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and the Smuggling of Migrants (SOM), organised by the Foundation for the Internationalisation of Public Administrations (FIAP).
Speaking at the close of the workshop, FIAP Deputy Team Leader and Chief Inspector of the Spanish National Police, Javier Leon, said participants had been equipped with modern investigative techniques and operational strategies to tackle increasingly sophisticated trafficking and migrant smuggling networks while maintaining a victim-centred approach.
He urged participants to ensure that the skills acquired during the training did not result in overzealous investigations, stressing that victims must remain at the centre of every operation and should never be exposed to further harm or re-victimisation in the pursuit of justice.
Leon described the workshop as a mutual learning experience, noting that Spanish experts also benefited from the practical experiences shared by Nigerian investigators.
He said the exchange of knowledge had strengthened trust between both countries and created new opportunities to refine investigative methods and deepen operational cooperation against transnational organised crime.
FIAP Project Officer, Cayetana Bellisco, said one of the workshop’s key recommendations was the establishment of a joint Nigeria-Spain investigative unit to combat organised crime, particularly the trafficking of women and children.
She said such a mechanism would improve intelligence sharing, facilitate joint investigations and strengthen cross-border law enforcement efforts against transnational criminal networks.
“From FIAP, our commitment is firm in this regard,” Bellisco said.
FIAP Technical Adviser on Criminal Investigations, Sani Dantuni, described the training as a significant boost for frontline anti-trafficking agencies.
According to him, participants gained practical skills in mutual legal assistance, financial crime investigations, open-source intelligence and strategies for dismantling organised criminal networks.
He said officers from agencies leading Nigeria’s anti-trafficking efforts were now better equipped to investigate complex cross-border crimes and enhance cooperation not only with Spain but also with other European countries.
The workshop, held under Component 3 of the European Union-funded Support to Migration Governance in Nigeria Project, brought together personnel from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Police Force.
Participants said the training had an immediate impact on their investigative practices.
Chief Superintendent of Police Joy Abuma, a police officer seconded to NAPTIP, said the workshop had transformed her approach to investigating trafficking cases.
“I just joined NAPTIP, and this training has opened my eyes to many investigative skills,” she said.
Abuma said she had recently handled a trafficking case in which she recorded a victim’s identity without realising the potential risks involved.
“I recently handled a case where I wrote down the victim’s name,” she said. “Through this workshop, I have learned that a victim’s identity should be protected. This knowledge will help us better protect victims, build their trust and ultimately strengthen future prosecutions.”
