ENUGU, September 13, 2025 | GMTNewsng
The Enugu State Government on Saturday (yesterday) inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) to spearhead the establishment of a Legal Hub dedicated to the compensation of victims of human trafficking.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Enugu, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, explained that the Legal Hub would manage the Trafficking Victims Trust Fund and guarantee justice for survivors.
“This hub will be responsible for managing the Trafficking Victims Trust Fund and ensuring that victims of trafficking are duly compensated,” Udeh said.
The Attorney-General expressed confidence in the ability of the TWG members to deliver on their mandate. “I urge you to bring your wealth of experience, passion, diligence, and commitment to bear on this assignment. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me whenever you require support, because I am fully committed to ensuring your success,” he assured.
In his remarks, the TWG chairman, Mr. Jonathan Ukpai, emphasized that the committee’s mandate was to design the structure and modalities for the Legal Hub’s establishment. Ukpai, who also serves as the South East Zonal Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said the initiative would guarantee restitution for trafficking survivors who had endured untold hardship.
According to Ukpai, the 2015 Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Act created the Victims of Trafficking Trust Fund, but the scheme had fallen dormant. “So we want to resuscitate it by the establishment of this legal hub. Now we have already started. We have separated ourselves into groups to review the constitution. The constitution is not in the form of law, but it outlines the people to pilot the affairs and the terms of reference as given to them,” he said.
The secretary of the TWG, Mrs. Ogechukwu Enwelum, disclosed that the group currently comprises 14 members drawn from diverse organizations, with the possibility of expansion in the future.
Enwelum, a legal practitioner, highlighted that members include representatives from the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Legal Council of Nigeria, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and the Enugu State Ministry of Justice. She added that the Legal Hub’s primary objective is to prepare compensation packages for victims of trafficking.
According to her, the TWG would draft a comprehensive document that would serve as the operational framework for the Legal Hub. GMTNewsng
