The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP has announced the dismissal of a deputy director and four other officers for offences including bribery, corruption and leaking confidential information to suspects.

The Press Officer of the NAPTIP, Vincent Adekoye, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

Adekoye explained that the offences range from corruption to demanding and receiving bribes from suspects and relatives.

According to him, other offences committed by the officers were leaking confidential information to suspects that endangered the lives of colleagues, violating the oath of secrecy, stealing and alteration of official records and being absent without official leave.

He said, “These offences are all contrary to provisions of the Public Service Rules and other extant laws and regulations. Two other officers were demoted by two ranks for soliciting bribes from a suspect of human trafficking, while one officer was demoted by one rank for negligence of duty.

“The disciplinary actions followed the approval of the Governing Board of the Agency at its meeting of May 25, 2023. At that meeting, the board considered and ratified the decision of the agency’s Senior Staff Committee which earlier sat on the disciplinary matters in accordance with the Public Service Rules and other extant laws and regulations.”

Adekoye also announced that a Federal High Court sitting in Sokoto State convicted a law enforcement officer and sentenced him to prison.

He said the officer was convicted on two counts of trafficking, contrary to section 26 (2) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act (2015) and was sentenced to five years on each count.

He added, “This is NAPTIP’s 37th conviction and counting for the year 2023.”