The Gambia’s newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP), Seedy Muctarr Touray, has condemned human trafficking as a heinous practice that ranks second only to drug trafficking. He emphasized the urgent need to address and condemn this travesty in the strongest possible terms.

The statement was delivered by Abdoulie Sanneh, Commissioner of Prosecution and Legal Affairs at the Gambia Police Force, on behalf of IGP Touray during a day’s training for police prosecutors at the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA). The training aimed to equip participants with the necessary knowledge, especially regarding human trafficking, and is part of a series of sessions targeting police prosecutors in the country.

IGP Touray highlighted the close collaboration between the Gambia Police Force and the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP) in investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of human trafficking. He stressed that human trafficking poses a serious threat to human dignity and freedom worldwide.

Quoting the United Nations Trafficking in Persons Protocol, IGP Touray defined trafficking in persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons through the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion. He reiterated the need for a concerted response from law enforcement, NAATIP, the media, and the public to combat this menace.

The IGP emphasized the importance of teamwork and public support in the fight against trafficking in persons. He called on all stakeholders to join hands in preventing trafficking, protecting victims, and punishing traffickers.

IGP Touray expressed his delight in being associated with the training, emphasizing its crucial role in raising awareness among different stakeholders. He reiterated that winning the fight against trafficking requires greater teamwork and public support, as public information can be critical in alerting law enforcement officers to trafficking activities.