Nigeria's National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has uncovered a new trafficking route that targets young Nigerians, sending them to Southeast Asia to engage in cybercrime activities. The agency reported the rescue and repatriation of 23 victims who were found in Thailand.
These victims, predominantly Nigerian youths possessing technical expertise, were reportedly deceived with false promises of scholarships and lucrative employment opportunities abroad. Their journey led them to countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, where, instead of legitimate work, they were allegedly forced into participating in organised online fraud operations that targeted individuals globally.
Binta Adamu Bello, the Director General of NAPTIP, highlighted this as a significant and concerning evolution in trafficking methodologies, noting that criminal syndicates are now specifically targeting educated and skilled young individuals.
"This represents a disturbing shift in the trafficking landscape," Bello stated. "Those involved are now actively recruiting intelligent young people with IT backgrounds by promising them scholarships and professional career prospects."
According to NAPTIP's findings, upon arrival in their designated countries, the victims were reportedly given training in cyber-enabled criminal activities, including romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and fake investment schemes. Some were also enrolled in language courses, only to be later assigned roles as translators or customer service representatives to interact with international targets.
The rescued Nigerian youths shared accounts of being kept in controlled environments, assigned daily targets for fraudulent activities, and facing threats or intimidation if they failed to meet these quotas.
NAPTIP indicated that the successful operation was carried out in collaboration with a civil society organisation based in Myanmar. Additional support for the operation, including the provision of emergency travel documents for the victims, was received from the British Government and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok.
Director General Bello reaffirmed the agency's dedication to dismantling the trafficking networks responsible for this operation and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
"We are reinforcing our international collaborations and intelligence-sharing frameworks to disrupt these networks and ensure they face prosecution," she added.
The 23 Nigerians who were rescued have safely returned to Nigeria and are currently undergoing essential profiling, counselling, and rehabilitation services as the investigation into the syndicate continues.
Furthermore, NAPTIP has issued a warning to parents and young professionals, urging them to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of overseas job or scholarship offers, especially those lacking proper documentation.
This incident underscores the escalating concerns regarding the intersection of human trafficking and international cybercrime, as criminal enterprises increasingly leverage digital skills to expand their illicit cross-border operations.
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