Indepenacat Practi wroGocr tial homes” | NAPTIP Headquarter, Commissiwn (CPC) 2028 Dalaba Street, 20 oe eu Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, December 17, 2019 ‘The Honorable Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related offences Commission. National Headquarters, Abuja Dear Sir CORRUPTION, INCOMPETENCE AND ICE BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL NATIONAL AGENCY FOR THE PROHIBITION OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (NAPTIP) JULIE DONLI OKAH IN RUNNING THE AFFAIRS OF THE AGENCY. I wish to draw the attention of the Honorable Chairman to gross misconduct, abuse of office and corruption by the Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Julie Donli Okah since assumption of office in April 2017. It is important to note sir, that NAPTIP is the Nigeria’s focal Agency in the fight against ‘human trafficking and its attendant human rights violations in all its ramification, and as such, victim’s protection is the basis for NAPTIP establishment and central to the Agency’s mandate. However, is regrettable to note that under the leadership of Julie Donli-Okah, victims of trafficking that passes through the Agency were subjected to all forms of abuse, further victimization, dehumanization and exploitation in an environment that should supposedly reassure them of government's commitment to their protection, welfare and wellbeing.The NAPTIP Shelter is the place where victims of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, child labor and child abuse are kept, counselled and rehabilitated. However, under the leadership of Donli-Okah, due to high level corruption in managing NAPTIP Shelters, It is regrettable to know that the shelters have become a nightmare for victims of human trafficking and child labor despite releases of funds by the Federal Goverment due to corrupt tendencies of Julie Okah-Donli and some of her accomplices both within the management cadre notably Mrs Benedicta Ojugbana. The following examples are verifiable facts of corrupt practices: 1) In May 2018, a six months old victim died from lack of care and malnutrition while in the NAPTIP Shelter in Abuja. The Child was earlier rescued from Cross Mission Orphanage Home; Saburi Gwagwa Abuja owned by one Apostle Mayor Oboh whose Orphanage is under investigation. 2 In July 6 2018, due to sheer negligence and incompetence, victims in NAPTIP shelter Abuja demonstrated for more than 3 hours for lack of food, toiletries, power and water. This is coming amid serious concern by NAPTIP Staff and shelter management for outsourcing the feeding and welfare of the victims to a private firm Enrich Catering Services, owned and managed by a friend of the Director General at the cost of Two Million Naira (2,000,000) monthly as against the monthly funding allowance of N350,000 she met on assumption of office which guarantee better service delivery to victims than the over bloated contract she gave to her crony. 3) The NAPTIP Shelter Abuja was wholly renovated by the Federal Inland Revenue Service in 2019 as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. Yet the NAPTIP DG who is desperate to siphone money went ahead and awarded contract for the renovation of the same shelter to the total tune of 45,150,582.91k paid in three tranches as indicated below to Bijimi Integrated Services Ltd for the same work already carried out by FIRS. 2a) N12,552,485.72k b) N15,433,649.33k c) N17,164,477.86k Attached is the copy of one of the payment vouchers mark as “ANNEXURE A” This serial abuse and exploitation of trafficking survivors across NAPTIP Shelters led to the release of Human Rights Watch Special Report Published in August 2019, title The report indicted NAPTIP for incompetence gross abuse and human rights violations of trafficking victims “You Pray for Death” Trafficking of Women girls in Nigerii under their custody. Attached is an extract of the report mark as “ANNEXURE B” Full Details of the report can be found at https://www.hrw.org/rey 019/08/27/you-pray-death/trafficking- eria 4. The Director General has collected more than 20 Million Naira from suspected traffickers as compensation for victims in what she dubiously called a “Plea bargait in clear violation of the NAPTIP Act 2015. The DG has embezzled this money on her frequent travels with nothing going to the victims. Honorable Minister Ma, it may interest you to know that this issue has featured on the popular radio programme “Berekete Family”, where a victim whose compensation was lavishly expended by the DG in most of her frivolous foreign trips that has not added any significant value to the Agency. 5. In August 2019, the Director General recruited 165 officers as against the employment 80 officers approved in flagrant violations of the Public Service Rules and Federal Character principle that requires advertisement for recruitment into the Public Service of the Federation so that every qualified Nigerian will have equal opportunity to partake in the process. Instead, the DG went ahead and recruited without recourse to obtaining waiver and necessary certificate of compliance from the Federal Character Commission. Attached is the list of staff recruitment mark as “ANNEXURE C”6. As a result of her gross incompetence lack of clear understanding of running government agency as strategic as NAPTIP and her greed for amassing wealth, she has almost grounded the activities of the Agency to a point where staff have to use their hard cared salary to fund operations of the Agency such as fueling vehicles to move victims to the Shelter, Court appearances, arrest of suspects, sensitizations, repairing/ replacing basic items in the office like Air-Conditioners, Fans, Keys Computer Systems etc. It may shock you Ma, that officers assigned to the Shelter (Counsellors) had to take responsibility for the wellbeing of their victims such as buying them Pads for Menstra period, slippers, provisions etc. Yet, the DG and her accomplices uses all these services mentioned above to squander resources of the Agency without rendering any of such services. 7. Nonpayment of staff outstanding claims (DTA, OPE, Resettlement or transfer allowances, hotel accommodation allowances ¢.tc) since assumption of office in 2017. Yet she pays all her claims from the frequent foreign and local trips. 8. The Executive Chairman Sir, another fraudulent practice that the DG has designed and using to siphoned the resources of the Agency is the practice of approving travels benefits for her aids and security personnel when embarking on local journeys. Such approval is centrally paid to one Vincent Adekoye in Press and Public Relations Unit (PPRU) including monies for media services. Ma, it may shock you to know that these aides and personnel doesn’t partake in the journeys and Vicent Adekoye only serve as front receiving the money and return/deliver it to the DG after disbursement using identity of innocent aides and personnel. In view of the above, we call on the Honorable Chairman to use his good office to: 1. Investigate this serious misconduct and incompetence of shelter contract fraud, victim’s re-victimization in NAPTIP Custody, embezzlement of victim’s compensation funds and the overinflated cost of feeding victims by the NAPTIP 4DG. The bad image of Nigeria portrayed by the human rights Watch report is absolutely due the corrupt practices and incompetence of the NAPTIP DG in managing the NAPTIP Shelters. x Investigate the illegal and lopsided recruitment of 165 staff without due process as against the employment 80 officers approved. There is neither certificate of compliance nor waiver (No objection certificate) for non-advertisement issued by the Federal Character Commission. » . Investigate the debt Profile/outstanding claims since she took over and how the debt or claims accrued. Honorable Chairman sit, a discrete investigation amongst staff of the Agency will reveal mind-blowing condemnable practices of this DG who has tured NAPTIP to a cash-cow to fund her sheer penchant for material things and hobnob with all set of immoral beings in the society. It Suffices to say that, her actions and conducts negates the leadership trait and posture of His Excellency, President Muhammad Buhari (GCFR) on whose mandate such person got opportunity to represent womenfolk but end up projecting the sacred ideals and principle of the President in a manner capable of undermining the incorruptible zeal of the President. “A stitch in time, saves many”. NAPTIP SHOULD BE RESCUED BEFORE IT BECOMES AFAILED AGENCY. Concerned NAPTIP Staff