The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued and repatriated 23 Nigerian youths who were trafficked to Southeast Asia and forced into cybercrime operations.
The agency disclosed that the victims were deceived and transported to countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, where they were compelled to engage in online scams such as romance fraud, cryptocurrency schemes and fake investment platforms.
According to NAPTIP, the traffickers specifically targeted young Nigerians with computer and IT skills, particularly those perceived as disciplined and healthy. They were lured with promises of scholarships and well-paid jobs abroad, only to be exploited upon arrival.
In a statement issued by the agency’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Vincent Adekoye, the Director-General, Binta Bello, described the development as a disturbing new trend in human trafficking. She explained that victims were trained in scamming techniques and, in some cases, enrolled in language schools to learn Chinese before being deployed as online “customer care” agents to deceive foreign targets.
The victims reportedly told authorities that they were forced to target individuals and organisations in the United States, United Kingdom, Ethiopia and Canada. They were housed in crowded hostels, closely monitored and pressured to meet daily fraud targets.
Bello revealed that those who resisted participation were subjected to torture. Some were allegedly confined to a punishment facility described as a “dark room,” while others reportedly faced threats of organ harvesting, particularly younger victims with no history of smoking.
She said the agency has activated international partnerships to dismantle the trafficking network and bring its ringleaders to justice. Bello stressed that the syndicate represents a dangerous evolution in trafficking patterns in the Southeast Asian region.
The rescue operation was carried out with the support of a civil society organisation in South Asia, Eden (Myanmar), alongside assistance from the British government and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, which facilitated the issuance of Emergency Travel Certificates for some of the victims.
NAPTIP urged greater vigilance among young Nigerians and called on stakeholders to strengthen collaboration to combat emerging forms of transnational human trafficking.
