The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued and repatriated 23 Nigerian youths who were trafficked to Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries and forced into cybercrime activities.
The agency described the development as a troubling new trend in human trafficking, revealing that the victims were lured with promises of scholarships and well-paying jobs abroad. Instead, they were transported to countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, where they were coerced into engaging in online fraud schemes such as romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud and fake investment operations.
According to NAPTIP, the rescued youths disclosed during debriefing sessions that they were compelled to defraud individuals and organisations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ethiopia and Canada through various forms of internet deception.
The victims further revealed that those who refused to comply with the traffickers’ demands were subjected to severe torture. Some were allegedly killed in a torture chamber referred to as “the dark room,” while others, particularly younger victims with no history of smoking, reportedly had their organs harvested.
The agency’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Mr. Vincent Adekoya, stated that the rescue mission was carried out in collaboration with a civil society organisation based in Myanmar, Eden, with support from the British Government and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok. The embassy facilitated the issuance of Emergency Travel Certificates for some of the victims, enabling their safe return to Nigeria.
The operation comes weeks after the Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, vowed to intensify efforts against human trafficking networks. She had earlier pledged stronger collaboration and improved strategies to dismantle syndicates targeting Nigerians.
Commenting on the latest rescue, Bello described the situation as disturbing and indicative of a shift in trafficking methods.
She explained that traffickers are increasingly targeting intelligent and skilled young Nigerians, especially those with computer and IT knowledge and those perceived to have healthy lifestyles. According to her, victims are enticed with offers of scholarships and attractive employment opportunities abroad.
Upon arrival in the destination countries, the victims are reportedly trained in various scamming techniques. Some are enrolled in language schools, particularly to learn Chinese, after which they are assigned roles such as translators or customer service agents to facilitate fraudulent activities.
The victims said they were housed in hostels equipped with bunk beds and provided with digital tools needed to carry out online scams. They were closely monitored by armed enforcers who allegedly tortured anyone who failed to meet daily financial targets.
NAPTIP expressed appreciation to its international partners, including civil society groups in South Asia, Eden (Myanmar), the British Government and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, for their support in the rescue and repatriation process.
Bello urged Nigerians, especially young job seekers, to exercise caution when considering overseas scholarship and employment offers. She warned that trafficking syndicates have adopted increasingly sophisticated tactics, disguising transnational criminal operations as legitimate opportunities to lure unsuspecting victims.
NAPTIP Rescues 23 Nigerian Youths Trafficked to Southeast Asia for Forced Cybercrime
