NACTAL Outgoing President Abubakar Introduces Successor Osemene To Migration Stakeholders

PROSPER OKOYE 

The outgoing National President of Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour, NACTAL, Mr. Abdulganiyu Abubakar, has formally introduced his successor, Mr. Osita Osemene, to key migration stakeholders in Nigeria.

Abubakar introduced Osemene during the two-day quarterly meeting of the Working Group on Return, Readmission and Reintegration, RRR, held in Nigeria.

The RRR Working Group is a high-level coordination platform that brings together Federal Government agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, academia and the media to deliberate on issues relating to return, readmission and reintegration of migrants.

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Abubakar said his decision to introduce his successor was to ensure a smooth transition and continuity in NACTAL’s relationship with its partners after his exit as president.

According to him, he has represented NACTAL on the RRR platform for the past six years, and it was important for stakeholders to know and recognise the new leadership.

Abubakar said: “I have been representing NACTAL on this platform for the last six years, and most of the stakeholders know me as the national president. With the change of leadership, it is important that I formally introduce my successor so that they will know that leadership has changed hands and continue to accord him the same support, cooperation and understanding that I received over the years.”

He noted that the meeting was his last as NACTAL President and expressed satisfaction with the warm reception given to Osemene by members of the Working Group.

In his remarks, the incoming President, Mr. Osita Osemene, said the meeting offered a vital opportunity for migration practitioners and government agencies drawn from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to review ongoing interventions on return and reintegration of Nigerian migrants.

Osemene, who is also the Executive Director of Patriotic Citizen Initiatives, a civil society organisation working on migration governance, disclosed that participants critically reviewed the draft Standard Operating Procedure, SOP, for return and reintegration in Nigeria.

He said the review session allowed stakeholders to make inputs, validate the document and strengthen its provisions.

“The SOP is something that is coming out very strong to address some of those challenges,” Osemene stated, referring to the difficulties and gaps often experienced by returnees during the reintegration process in the country.

He expressed optimism that the SOP, when finalised, will significantly improve Nigeria’s approach to migrant reintegration and enhance coordination among actors.

Osemene further described Abubakar’s gesture of formally introducing him to government and development partners as unprecedented in the history of NACTAL, noting that previous leadership transitions did not witness such structured handover to external stakeholders.

According to him, the new approach will deepen NACTAL’s institutional partnerships and make engagement easier for the new leadership.

“This is going to strengthen our existence as a network. It’s going to strengthen the structure of NACTAL because one of the strengths of the network is partnership, strong partnership, strong collaboration,” Osemene added.

He pledged to build on the achievements of his predecessor and to sustain NACTAL’s active role in the fight against human trafficking, child abuse and forced labour, as well as in migration management in Nigeria.