NAPTIP Rescues 23 Nigerians Trafficked to Thailand for Cybercrime Operations
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued and returned 23 Nigerian youths who were trafficked to Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia for cybercrime activities.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, disclosed the development on Wednesday, raising concerns over what she described as an emerging pattern in human trafficking. According to her, criminal networks are increasingly targeting young Nigerians with digital skills and luring them abroad under false promises of scholarships and high-paying jobs.
The victims were reportedly housed in crowded hostels, equipped with digital tools, and assigned strict daily fraud targets under constant surveillance. Those who failed to comply or meet expectations were allegedly subjected to abuse and harsh punishment. Some of the rescued individuals recounted being confined in isolated rooms as a form of intimidation.
In a statement issued by the agency’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Vincent Adekoye, NAPTIP said the rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with Eden in Myanmar, with support from the British Government and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok. The victims were subsequently repatriated to Nigeria.
Investigations revealed that the trafficked youths were deceived into traveling to countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. Upon arrival, they were allegedly forced into cyber-enabled crimes, including romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and fake investment schemes.
Bello explained that traffickers deliberately recruit intelligent young people, especially those with computer and IT expertise. She noted that some victims were even enrolled in foreign language classes, including Chinese, before being deployed as online agents to defraud individuals and organisations in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, and Canada.
The NAPTIP boss described the development as alarming and vowed that the agency would intensify efforts to dismantle the trafficking syndicate responsible. She affirmed that strategic partnerships had been reactivated to track down and prosecute those behind the operation.
She also commended the role played by civil society organisations in the region, Eden (Myanmar), the British authorities, and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok for facilitating the rescue process, including the issuance of emergency travel documents where necessary.
The agency reiterated its commitment to strengthening surveillance and collaboration to curb emerging trafficking routes and prevent more Nigerians from falling victim to transnational criminal networks.
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