The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued and repatriated 23 Nigerian youths from Thailand, uncovered a disturbing new trend in human trafficking targeting Nigerians for cyber-enabled crimes.
According to NAPTIP Director General, Binta Adamu Bello, traffickers are increasingly targeting intelligent and skilled Nigerians, particularly those with IT and computer skills, and those with “clean” lifestyles free from alcohol or smoking. The victims are lured with promises of scholarships and legitimate employment opportunities abroad.
Upon arrival in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, the victims were trained in scams, including romance fraud, cryptocurrency fraud, and investment scams targeting individuals and organizations in the United States, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, and Canada. Some were even enrolled in language schools to serve as translators and customer care operatives for fraudulent schemes.
“They disclosed that they were accommodated in hostels and monitored by mafia operatives, with those who refused to meet daily targets subjected to brutal punishments, including torture and, in extreme cases, organ harvesting,” DG Bello revealed.
The operation was carried out with support from Eden (Myanmar), the British Government, and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, which assisted in issuing Emergency Travel Certificates (ETCs) for repatriation.
DG Bello called for increased collaboration among stakeholders to combat this emerging threat and vowed that NAPTIP would intensify efforts to dismantle trafficking networks in the region.
“This is a new dimension in trafficking, and it is disturbing. With our partners, we are committed to bringing the ringleaders to justice,” she said.
The victims have safely returned to Nigeria, and NAPTIP continue its campaign against human trafficking in all its forms.
