National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has called for comprehensive empowerment for returnees from Libya and Europe to prevent them from being re-trafficked.

Its Director-General, Julie Okah-Donli, made the call at the opening ceremony of a workshop in Calabar on Tuesday, aimed at developing a protocol for identification, safe return and rehabilitation of trafficked persons.

Okah-Donli stressed the need to protect and assist trafficked persons to become functional members of the society.

She said the victims of trafficking who were provided with reintegration assistance were not likely to be re-trafficked, hence the need for a documented and reintegration procedure.

The NAPTIP boss also said there was need for the victims of human trafficking to be given requisite support and services from the point of identification as well as during rehabilitation process.

According to her, the UN high commission for human rights has provided guidelines and principles that incorporate the rights of victims of trafficking in persons.

The director-general said the overall goal of the workshop was to prevent re-trafficking among others.

Okah-Donli emphasised the need for concerted efforts to stem irregular migration and disturbing trend in human trafficking.

In his remarks, the Cross River Governor, Ben Ayade, described the workshop as timely.

Ayade commended NAPTIP director-general for her resilience and determination and for frontally addressing human trafficking in the country.

He said the growing trend of immigration and human trafficking was worrisome, adding that thousands of young men and women were daily being deceived and smuggled out of the country.

Ayade also said the recent evacuation of large number of returnees from Libya was disturbing and embarrassing.

The governor said his administration had introduced a lot of empowerment programme to engage the youth in the state.

According to him, no fewer than 3,000 youths have been engaged in various empowerment projects with a view to reducing unemployment in the state.

Participants at the workshop were drawn from NAPTIP, security agencies, Ministries of Women Affairs, Foreign Affairs, CSOs, foreign embassies and the media.