The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has uncovered a human trafficking network transporting Nigerian youths to Southeast Asia for forced involvement in cybercrime, rescuing and repatriating 23 victims from Thailand.
According to the agency, the victims—mostly young Nigerians with technology skills—were lured with promises of scholarships and lucrative job opportunities abroad. Instead, they were trafficked to countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, where they were allegedly coerced into participating in organised online fraud schemes targeting victims across multiple continents.
NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, described the trend as a disturbing shift in trafficking tactics, noting that criminal networks are increasingly targeting educated and skilled youths.
“This represents a troubling evolution in the trafficking landscape,” Bello said. “Recruiters now target intelligent young people with IT expertise under the guise of scholarships and professional opportunities.”
The agency disclosed that upon arrival in their destination countries, the victims were trained in cyber-enabled crimes such as romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and fake investment schemes. Some were reportedly enrolled in language programmes and later deployed as translators or customer service agents to interact with foreign targets.
The rescued individuals said they were kept in controlled facilities, given daily fraud quotas, and subjected to threats and intimidation if they failed to meet targets.
NAPTIP stated that the rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with a civil society organisation in Myanmar, with support from the British Government and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, which facilitated emergency travel documents for the victims.
Bello reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to dismantle the trafficking syndicates behind the operation and bring perpetrators to justice.
“We are strengthening international partnerships and intelligence-sharing mechanisms to disrupt and prosecute these criminal networks,” she said.
The 23 victims have since returned to Nigeria and are undergoing profiling, counselling, and rehabilitation as investigations continue.
NAPTIP also urged parents and young professionals to exercise caution when considering overseas job or scholarship offers without proper verification.
The development underscores growing concerns over the intersection of human trafficking and transnational cybercrime, as criminal syndicates increasingly exploit digital skills to expand illicit operations across borders.
