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 to engage in cyber-enabled crimes.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, NAPTIP’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Vincent Adekoye, disclosed that the victims were recruited and transported to Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, where they were compelled to carry out romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and investment scams.
According to Adekoye, the traffickers deliberately targeted the youths for their intelligence, computer literacy, IT expertise, and what he described as their “clean lifestyle.”
NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, OON, described the development as exposing “a new dimension of human trafficking that targets vibrant and skilled Nigerians.” She explained that the victims were lured abroad with promises of scholarships and legitimate employment opportunities, only to be forced into fraudulent activities upon arrival.
“The victims revealed that they were trained in various scamming techniques, sometimes learning new languages to serve as translators and customer care agents to deceive targets in the USA, UK, Ethiopia, and Canada,” Bello said.
She further disclosed that the trafficked youths were accommodated in hostels under strict surveillance by mafia operatives and subjected to torture if they failed to meet assigned targets. Bello added that some victims who resisted participation in the criminal activities were reportedly killed or had their organs harvested.
Describing the syndicate’s operations as deeply disturbing, the Director-General said the agency has reactivated its regional and international collaborations to dismantle the trafficking network and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
NAPTIP also expressed appreciation to civil society organisations in Southeast Asia, the British Government, and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok for their support, particularly in facilitating the victims’ return through the issuance of Emergency Travel Certificates.
Bello noted that the successful rescue underscores the agency’s renewed resolve to combat organised criminal networks exploiting vulnerable Nigerians.
