Michael Olugbode and Sunday Ehigiator in Abuja
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and British High Commission on Monday joined forces to spotlight and combat a disturbing surge in the trafficking of Nigerians into forced cyber-fraud operations across Southeast Asia.
At a landmark survivor-centred event in Abuja, authorities, diplomats, and international partners amplified the voices of recently rescued Nigerians, who were deceived with fake overseas job offers and trafficked to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.
Many were forced to operate sophisticated online scam schemes under harsh, coercive, and degrading conditions.
The forum, themed, “Confronting the Global Scam Centre Crisis: Perspectives of Nigerian Survivors,” marked a shift towards survivor-led advocacy, allowing victims to voluntarily recount how they were recruited, transported and confined in guarded compounds where refusal to cooperate often resulted in threats, intimidation, and psychological abuse.
The event followed a coordinated rescue mission involving NAPTIP, Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, and British anti-trafficking NGO EDEN.
Their joint intervention, including field coordination near the Thai–Myanmar border, and welfare support at Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Centre, secured the safe return of 23 Nigerian nationals earlier this month.
Officials cited alarming global data to underscore the scale of the crisis. A 2026 report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, titled, “A Wicked Problem,” estimated that at least 120,000 people were currently trapped in forced scam operations inside Myanmar, with more than 300,000 victims spread across Southeast Asia.
Survivors identified so far originated from no fewer than 66 countries, highlighting the transnational scope of the crime.
Speaking at the event, UK Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja, Gill Lever, described the survivors’ testimonies as both courageous and critical to prevention efforts.
“We are here to listen,” she said.
Lever added, “Their bravery in speaking out will help expose criminal networks that prey on vulnerability and deception. The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Nigeria and other partners to ensure survivors receive trauma-informed care and that perpetrators are held accountable.”
Representing Director-General of NAPTIP, Hajiya Binta Bello, the agency’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Mrs. Kehinde Akomolafe, reaffirmed Nigeria’s zero-tolerance stance against trafficking syndicates exploiting digital platforms to lure unsuspecting youths abroad.
“The testimonies we have heard today reveal the brutal reality of trafficking into scam centres,” she said. “These operations strip victims of their dignity, freedom and identity. NAPTIP remains committed to prevention, prosecution and protection, while strengthening partnerships to dismantle these networks.”
One survivor recounted being promised a legitimate, high-paying job overseas, only to be confined in a guarded facility and forced into fraudulent online activities.
“I thought I was traveling for opportunity,” the survivor said. “Instead, I was trapped in fear and forced to do things against my conscience. I am sharing my story so others will recognise the warning signs. No job offer is worth losing your freedom.”
Stakeholders at the forum emphasised the need for intensified public awareness campaigns, stronger cross-border intelligence sharing, and enhanced digital literacy to prevent recruitment through social media and online job portals.
As trafficking networks evolve with technology, authorities warned that scam compounds had become one of the fastest-growing forms of modern slavery, blending cybercrime with human exploitation.
Monday’s engagement signalled a renewed commitment by Nigeria and the United Kingdom to confront the threat head-on — prioritising survivor protection, strengthening international cooperation, and ensuring that vulnerable Nigerians are not ensnared by deceptive promises of opportunity abroad.
